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Opening a Savings Account: A Guide for Young Adults

young adults

Did you want to start planning for your financial future? One of the best ways to ensure you’ll stay financially stable is to open a savings account. Savings accounts give you the flexibility to undergo unexpected financial hardships. They also help you plan for major life events, such as buying a house or car. It’s best to start saving as young as possible. As such, young adults should open a savings account as soon as they can.

Below, we’ll get into the basics of opening a savings account. Keep reading to start planning for your financial future today!

Compare Financial Institutions

Before you open your first savings account, you need to compare financial institutions. Many different banks offer savings accounts, but they’re not all created equal. Some savings accounts put you in a much better financial position than others. 

Young adults often get trapped in these poor financial situations because they don’t know which things to look for when they open a savings account. You should compare a few different aspects before you decide on a financial institution.

Interest Rates

First, compare interest rates. When you place your money in a savings account, it will accrue more money over time. As such, you can actually gain more money by leaving your cash in a savings account. 

Yet, not all interest rates are the same. In fact, banks often offer low interest rates. Sometimes, they’re even as low as 0.01%! So, you should look at the interest rate before you decide to open a savings account with a certain bank.

If you want to grow your wealth faster, you should invest and save at the same time. Buying reliable will help your wealth bloom. Still, you need to make sure your stocks don’t have a high level of risk. Investing in the wrong stocks can cause you to lose money as the market fluctuates.

The Minimum Requirement

Some savings accounts require you to have a minimum amount in them. If you don’t keep the minimum amount in the account, you may incur fees and penalties. 

Some savings accounts don’t have a minimum amount. This is ideal since you’ll have the ability to take out as much money as you need.

Don’t worry if your best savings account option will have a minimum amount. But you should make sure it isn’t high.

No Monthly Fee

Even though banks have low interest rates, they might also have monthly fees. 

These might be as low as $5, but they can pile up over time. Usually, you get charged this amount when you don’t have a certain balance in your savings account. 

So, if there is a monthly fee, you should figure out how easy it will be for you to avoid.

The Opening Deposit

When you open a savings account, you might have to pay an opening deposit. 

Sometimes, this is as little as $25. Yet, some people want their first deposit to be smaller. You’ll need to make sure you can afford to put the minimum savings amount in your account. So, take stock of your financial situation first. Then, decide which account allows you to make the first deposit that best meets your needs.

Look for Automated Transfers

Saving money is easy to talk about and much harder to do. If you have to manually put money in your account, you might forget to do it. You might also struggle to want to put your money in a savings account on a regular basis. 

To get around this, many banks offer automated transfers. You’ll get to pick a date and a certain amount of money. Then, the bank will draw money out of your account every month on the specified day. 

When you choose your date, you should think about when you need to pay your monthly expenses. Many people choose a date after their payday. Others pick a day after they pay for other necessities, like rent. 

Once you know how much will go into savings, work it into your monthly budget. Consider it a necessary expense so you ensure you make enough money to keep it up. 

Get Your Required Documents Together

Banks often require people to present a few documents in order to open a bank account. This is to prevent identity theft and fraud.

You’ll need your social security number, your address, and a valid ID. Your ID should be a government-issued one, such as a passport or driver’s license. You may also need a document that proves your address. You will also need to provide your date of birth and contact information.

Make sure you contact the bank before you open the account. Ask them what you will need to give them so you can prepare the documents in advance.

Fill Out the Application

Next, fill out your bank’s application. Make sure you know how to contact your financial institution if you have questions.

At this point, the bank will require you to know whether you want an individual or joint account. An individual account is best for unmarried people or those who don’t want to merge their finances. A joint account allows two people to easily access your finances.

This makes it best for married people or those who want to share the account with another person.

Ready to Open a Savings Account with Young Adults?

Now that you’ve read this guide, you’re ready to open a savings account for young adults. 

To make the most out of your savings, you should talk to a financial adviser. This person will help you plan for your life goals and big expenses. That way, you’ll be able to meet your objectives quicker.

Want more great advice? Check out more of our articles today!

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