Best Gifts to Set Up a Child's Financial Future
These are thoughtful monetary presents that will last beyond the present moment.
By Rosie Colosi
Sure, you can get a major rush from watching a child tear the wrapping paper off to reveal the LOL Doll or a monster truck you got them. But isn’t it more thrilling to know you’ve given them something that will set them up for years to come?
You may have loved getting a dollar from your grandparents every time you visited their house. You could have spent rainy afternoons sorting coins from your piggy bank with your siblings. Maybe a favorite aunt gave you money to pay for your textbooks in college. Or perhaps you were amazed to discover that unbeknownst to you, relatives had gifted you a handful of savings bonds that had all matured and magically helped pay off some student debt.
All of these gifts helped prepare you for your financial future, from acquainting you with money to prioritizing how to spend it to putting you in a solid financial position.
But before you purchase baby’s thousandth stuffed animal (although we can help you find those, too), stop and think about the type of gift that would be most valuable to receive. Sometimes, that stuffed animal, doll or truck really is what the child wants or needs in the moment. But if you’re playing the long game, a gift like those listed below can be priceless.
Monetary Gifts
Cash is a gift that never goes out of style. Rather than sliding a few bills into a card, you may want to consider these options to earmark that money for baby’s future. Incidentally, don’t worry if you think your cash gift doesn’t “feel like enough.” Every dollar helps build savings for the future.
Custodial Accounts
These accounts allow you to gift money, royalties, real estate and stock to minors. You might even use the stock market as a learning opportunity as the child grows—invest in a few companies that might be interesting to young person and track their progression over time.
- UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) Accounts
- UGMA (Uniform Gifts to Minors Act) Accounts
- Stockpile Gift Card
Gifts for School or College
These days, education doesn’t come cheap. The average cost of tuition and fees at a private college is almost $40,000 each year. Help offset those costs with contributions to education funds.
Gifts That Teach Kids About Money
Sure, it’s wonderful to give children monetary gifts. But you might also consider giving them items that help them learn about coins, bills, spending, saving and the stock market.
