Buying a home, renting an apartment, obtaining insurance, and applying for a job involve a review of your credit report. Even some cable and telephone providers will review your credit history. Because of the long-term impact of credit, it’s important to educate the teenagers in your life on how credit cards work and what they mean for their future. Learn about credit cards for teens and how learning to manage debt can be beneficial.
How Credit Card Debt Affects Teens
According to a 2019 survey by EVERFI and AIG Retirement Services, about one in every three recent high school graduates has at least one credit card. And among those students with credit cards, nearly a quarter (24%) already have more than $1,000 in credit card debt. When someone turns 18 and can qualify independently for a credit card or loan, they become a prime target for lenders. Credit card companies tend to target young adults when they arrive on college campuses, with banks and credit card vendors often giving away gifts for signing up, and otherwise making it very easy to do. In order to decrease the amount of debt young people take on, it’s important to start talking about credit with teenagers from an early age. You can discuss things like the effect of high-interest rates, minimum payments, and the devastating effect that late payments can cause. If teens are not properly prepared from the beginning, it can become difficult to keep up with credit card payments if they get out of control.
Why Most Teens Should Use Credit Cards
Despite all of the negative consequences of credit card debt, the fact is that most students need a credit card. At the least, it’s useful to establish a credit history. You need credit to build a credit score, so obtaining a credit card at a young age is an easy way to do this. Also, one of the important factors in your FICO score is the length of credit history. The sooner you establish a line of credit, the longer your credit history will be. Credit cards offer convenience, but their main purpose should be to establish a good credit history. That way, when the time comes, your teen will be more likely to:
Qualify for car loans and mortgagesBe able to rent an apartmentQualify for favorable interest rates on all types of loansObtain lower auto and homeowners insurance premiumsQualify for a job (employers are increasingly using credit scores when evaluating job candidates)
The best way to learn is often by doing. And for some teens, having a credit card in high school might be beneficial. If you’re thinking about opening a credit card with your teen before they go off to college or start in the workforce, think about the following:
Is the teen responsible?The teen is given a credit card with a low credit limitParents monitor the teen’s spending and payments monthlyParents discuss the choices made, the implications of those choices, and the obvious and hidden costs with the teenParents make suggestions for positive changes
Parents Decide When Teens Get Credit Cards
If you want your child to have good spending habits and resist the temptations involved with having a credit card, it’s up to you to educate them. They need to know all of the pros and cons, or in other words, the benefits of having a card and the devastating consequences of misuse. As a parent, you need to sit down with your child before they head off on their own. Discuss the reasons why it’s important to have a credit card and credit history. Also, you should help them find a good credit card, so they don’t end up signing up for the first one they come across. Once they obtain a card, make a purchase and walk them through making the monthly payment either by check or electronically so they know what to expect and are familiar with the process.
The Bottom Line
The best way to properly prepare your child for using a credit card is to take the time to educate your child at a young age so they can establish credit in a responsible manner. Remember to explain what the credit card should be used for exactly and who is responsible for the payments. You want your child to use this tool responsibly, so it should be clear that they need to keep up with the payments. This way, they will be able to hit the ground running with a solid credit history and have established sound financial habits going forward.
