To deposit a check made out to a child, sign the back of the check on the child’s behalf and take it to your bank with your photo ID and proof that you’re the child’s parent or legal guardian. Most banks will then deposit it into the child’s account, or in many cases into your own account or a new account you open during the same visit. The exact requirements vary by bank, so it’s worth a quick call to your branch before you go.
How to Sign the Back of the Check
When you endorse a check for your child, your signature has to make clear that you’re signing in a representative role, not claiming the check as your own.1Cornell Law School. Uniform Commercial Code 3-402 – Signature by Representative Two formats are commonly accepted:
- [Child’s Name] by [Your Name], Parent
- [Your Name], Parent/Guardian for [Child’s Name]
If your child is old enough to write their name, some banks will let the child sign first and have you add your endorsement underneath. Your signature is still required either way. Because tellers reject improperly endorsed checks, call ahead if you’re not sure which wording your bank prefers.
What to Bring to the Bank
Federal customer-identification rules require banks to collect identifying information on anyone associated with an account, and when the account holder is a minor, the bank collects that information from the adult handling the transaction.2FFIEC BSA/AML Manual. Assessing Compliance with BSA Regulatory Requirements – Customer Identification Program Plan to bring:
- Your government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport
- Your child’s Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
- Proof of your relationship to the child, such as a birth certificate or court-ordered guardianship papers
Where the Money Can Go
You have three practical options, depending on what accounts already exist.
Into the child’s existing account. If your child already has a joint or custodial account with you, this is the simplest route. Deposit the endorsed check straight into that account.
Into your own account. Not every bank will accept a check made out to your child as a deposit into an account that doesn’t carry the child’s name. Banks that do allow it typically want to see a birth certificate along with your ID. Call ahead so you don’t make the trip for nothing.
Into a new account opened the same day. If your child doesn’t yet have an account, many banks will open one during the deposit visit. Teens as young as 13 can often be added to a checking account with a parent as joint owner. For younger children, a custodial account under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act or the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act is the standard option, and the child becomes the legal owner of the funds with you serving as custodian.
Checks Made Out to a Parent and a Child
Read the payee line carefully before you endorse anything. If the check is written to “Parent AND Child,” both people generally have to sign the back before the bank will take it. If it’s written to “Parent OR Child,” either signature alone is enough.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Do Both My Spouse and I Have to Sign the Back of a Check Made Out to Us? If both names appear with no “and” or “or” between them, ask the teller how the bank reads it before signing.
Can You Use Mobile Deposit?
Usually not, if the check isn’t payable to you. Most banks’ mobile deposit rules prohibit depositing checks made out to someone other than the account holder through the app. If the child is on the account you’re depositing into, the app on that account may work. If you’re trying to move a check made out to your child into an account that only has your name on it, plan on visiting a branch. Check your bank’s mobile deposit terms before you count on the app.
When the Funds Become Available
Federal law caps how long a bank can hold your deposit. At least $275 of any check deposit has to be available by the next business day, no matter what type of check it is.4Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance Beyond that, the timing depends on the check:
- U.S. Treasury, state, and local government checks, cashier’s checks, and certified checks: next business day when deposited in person to a bank employee.5eCFR. 12 CFR 229.10 – Next-Day Availability
- Standard personal or business checks: up to two business days for local checks, up to five business days for nonlocal checks.6eCFR. 12 CFR 229.12 – Availability Schedule
- Deposits at non-proprietary ATMs: up to five business days regardless of the check type.6eCFR. 12 CFR 229.12 – Availability Schedule
These are the maximums, and many banks release funds sooner. The hold clock starts on the banking day of your deposit, not the calendar day.
Social Security or SSI Checks Work Differently
If the check is a Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefit for your child, the rules above don’t fully apply. Those benefits require a designated representative payee, and the receiving account must be titled to show the child’s ownership with you listed as the financial agent, such as “[Child’s Name] by [Your Name], Representative Payee.” Joint accounts are not permitted for these funds, because no one other than the child can have an ownership interest in the money. Parents acting as representative payees may use a common household checking account for day-to-day benefit payments, but any savings for each child must sit in a separate account titled in that child’s name.7Social Security Administration. A Guide for Representative Payees