Finances and Banking
Individual Development Account (IDA) Programs
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Do you want to buy your dream home, get a great college education or open your own business?
IDAs can be a powerful strategy to help you develop financial skills; work toward saving to go to college, own a home or start a business; and develop long-term life goals that align with their savings goals.
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An Individual Development Account (IDA) is an interest-bearing, tax-free savings account created to help low- and moderate-income families build assets and move into the middle class.
Each dollar saved in an IDA is matched by public or private sources (e.g., banks, foundations, etc.). IDA deposits are exclusively limited to earned income.
Money in IDA programs:
A first home
Post-high school education or training
Starting or expanding a small business
Buying a car
Saving for retirement
Money Management
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Federal law requires each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to give you a free credit report every 12 months if you ask for it. They also make it easy to accomplish many credit-related tasks right from your computer.
If you are 18 and older you can check your credit report at this website Annual Credit Reports
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Practical Money Skills for Life - a free website by VISA USA designed to help educators, parents, and students practice better money management for life.
Visit the site for other great free resources!
Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative, public-service project of the financial aid industry - bringing together the expertise of the industry to provide free college, career, financial aid, and financial literacy services for students, families, and schools.
The FDIC website provides free budget tips and money management tools
Intuit Mint offers a free budgeting app for your phone, download that HERE
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Tax Information for Individuals - from the Internal Revenue Service
Information on tax forms from the IRS - from the IRS
Tax forms - from the Internal Revenue Service
For a list of free IRS online filing options click HERE
Bills and Banks
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Programs for low-income utility customers in Texas - information from Texas Electric Choice.
Utility Bill Help and Other Assistance - searchable information by city or county from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
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Bankrate offers you assistance with picking the best bank option for you.
Teens can use this link for a free banking 101 guide
Use this guide to learn how to balance a checkbook
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Saving money and having a checking account is important and will help you gain experience with banking. Understanding banking and learning to save will help you achieve financial success and well-being in adulthood.
Sometimes banks require youth to have a co-signer when they want to open a bank account. To get around this, check out the list of known banks or credit unions in your region that have flexible co-singer policies for savings and checking accounts. Banks are listed by Texas geographical region.
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Panhandle (Region 1)
Access Community Credit Union
6401 Bell St., Amarillo, Texas 79109
806-353-9999
Anyone under age 18 must have an adult co-signer, except if they live at the local Children's Home where they allow a minor to open only a savings account without an adult co-signer; no debit card.
ACFCU Better Banking
2410 N. Grand Amarillo, Texas 79107
(806) 358-7561
Minors can open a savings account without an adult co-signer; ATM card only; no debit card.
Chase Bank
6805 i-40 W Amarillo, TX 79106
806-353-8710
Anyone under age 18 must have an adult co-signer to open a checking or savings account, except if they are a 17 year old and attending college.
North Texas (region 3)
Comerica Bank
2727 Fort Worth Ave Dallas, TX 75211
972-254-1248
Minors 16 and older can have a "student" checking or savings account without an adult co-signer. Must provide proof of school class schedule and have $50 to open an account. Will be provided with a debit card and there is no maintenance fee. The account is available until age 26 as long as the youth or young adult can provide proof they are still a student.
East Texas (region 5)
Angelina Savings Bank
1721 Tulane Dr., Lufkin, Texas 75901
936-639-3201
The bank prefers that the minor has an adult co-signer for checking account, but will consider a minor with a state issued identification. Anyone under the age of 18 needs an adult co-signer to open a savings account.
Commercial Bank of Texas
1901 Tulane Dr., Lufkin, Texas 75901
936-633-5878
600 S. 1st St., Lufkin, Texas 75901
936-633-5800
1629 N. University Dr., Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
Anyone under the age of 18 can open a checking or savings account with state issued identification and another form of identification.
Houston (region 6)
Wells Fargo Bank
1000 Louisiana St., Houston, Texas 77002
713-650-3187
1500 Waugh Dr., Houston, Texas 77019
713-284-5401
2714 Smith St., Houston, Texas 77006
A minor can open an account at age 17 or older if attending college.
Chase Bank
3034 Washington Ave., Houston, Texas 77007
713-920-0167
3120 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77098
713-526-9201
A minor can open an account at age 17 with two forms of identification.
Capital One Bank
4414 North Freeway, Suite 1000, Houston, Texas 77022
713-878-5700
A co-signer is needed for minors; exceptions can be made if a minor is a month away from turning age 18.
Bank of America
800 Capitol St. STE 100, Houston, Texas 77002
713-241-0741
Minors do not need a co-signer to open up a savings account, but will need a co-signer to open up a checking account.
Central Texas (region 7)
Chase Bank
2000 Texas Ave. S., College Station, Texas 77840
979-680-1564
Anyone under the age of 18 must have an adult co-signer to open a checking and savings account; there is an exception for a minor, age 17 and in attending college, the minor can open a checking account with a driver license and secondary identification.
First National Convenience Bank of Texas
901 E. Cen. Tex. Expy., Killeen, Texas 76541
254-554-6699
Anyone under age 18 must have an adult co-signer to open a checking or savings account; exceptions are made for minors who work at a partner location (Wal-Mart, HEB, or Kroger), they will be able to open a checking or savings account and receive an ATM card. Check with local partner locations on the banks website.
South Texas (region 8 & 11)
IBC Bank
130 E Travis St., San Antonio, Texas 78205
210-518-2500
An adult co-signer is not needed if a minor is close to age 18, but cannot get a debit card.
Value Bank
3649 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, Texas 78408
361-888-4451
925 S. Commercial, Aransas Pass, Texas 78336
361-727-8040
2900 Main Street, Ingleside, Texas 78362
361-727-8020
A minor under the age of 17 must have an adult co-signer.