An older woman and a younger woman smile and laugh together. The older woman holds a mug. The younger woman holds a credit card and pushes keys on a laptop.

Teaching Kids About Credit & Credit Cards

8 min read

Last Updated: January 30, 2026

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

There’s no credit card for kids, but your child may be able to build credit history as an authorized user of your account.
It’s important to teach your children healthy credit habits, like paying bills on time and keeping credit card debt low.
When your child turns 18 (or 21), they may consider a secured credit card or student credit card.

Teaching your kids financial literacy while they’re young can give them a foundation for success in the future. By modeling healthy credit habits and discussing the basics of managing debt with your children, you can prepare them to handle credit cards, loans, and other aspects of their finances as adults.

What age to teach kids about credit

It’s never too soon to start teaching kids about credit cards and other aspects of financial responsibility. You can start when your child is still young by taking them to the store with you and talking through your decisions as you shop.

As your kids get a little older, you can start teaching them basic money management skills and habits. For example, maybe your child wants to buy a new video game. You might show them how to save up money for a specific goal, either by giving them an allowance or setting aside money for the game yourself. You can also track your progress together and explore different saving strategies.

Are there credit cards for kids?

No, there's no credit card for kids.

Your child has to be at least 18 to qualify for a credit card account of their own. Plus, under the Truth in Lending Act, people between the ages of 18 and 20 must have consistent independent income to qualify for a card on their own.

Can kids have debit cards?

Yes, some banks allow kids to have debit cards before they turn 18. A kid’s debit card usually must be linked to a parent or another family member’s bank account.

Some banks offer early debit card options with features designed for kids. For example, you may be able to set a spending limit, monitor your child’s card use, and set up an automatic allowance through your online banking app. You might also disable overdrafts on your child’s bank card to avoid overdraft fees.

Prepaid debit cards for kids

If you don’t think your child is quite ready to manage a debit card connected to a checking account, you might consider a prepaid card.

A prepaid debit card doesn’t draw money from a checking account. Instead, you can deposit an amount of your choosing onto the prepaid card. You can also set up an automatic allowance in the form of a small direct deposit from each of your paychecks.

Keep in mind that prepaid cards typically have minimal online banking capabilities and may come with fees. Still, they can be helpful tools for teaching your child financial literacy.

Financial literacy for your child

Start by teaching your child some basic building blocks of credit, what credit is, how to use credit, and why credit even matters. With these fundamentals down, your kid can build a more robust understanding of personal finance that grows as they enter adulthood.

What is credit?

On a basic level, “credit” is an agreement between a lender and someone borrowing money. The lender agrees to give the borrower money, and the borrower promises to repay that money later on (often with interest).

Any time your child takes out a loan or credit card, they’re building their personal credit, a record of their borrowing history.

Good credit habits

Some positive credit habits to model and discuss with your kids include:

Checking your credit report at least once a year. You can check your credit reports for free each week at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Paying your credit card bill on time every month. Falling behind on payments could harm your credit score.
Keeping credit utilization as low as possible. By paying your balance in full every month, you can avoid interest charges and minimize your credit utilization ratio.
Applying only for one credit card at a time. Submitting multiple credit card applications in a short timeframe may hurt your credit.

By fostering good credit habits early, you can encourage your child to build a positive credit history.

Why positive credit history can be important

Make sure your child understands that the financial decisions they make today can have a major impact on their future.

A positive credit history may not only make it easier to qualify for the best credit cards possible. Credit usually plays an important role in buying a car, renting an apartment, purchasing a home, taking out student loans for school, and more major milestones. Certain employers may even check your child’s credit report as part of the application process.

That doesn’t mean your kid should be afraid to make a mistake once they qualify for a credit card. If they miss a payment or overspend and hurt their credit score, practicing good credit habits moving forward may help them rebuild their credit.

Credit card fraud and security

Young people may be especially vulnerable to credit card fraud, so it’s essential to go over simple security measures with your child. Fortunately, a lot of online safety basics can also protect your child from credit card fraud. For example, your child should never share any personal identifying information on social media, especially a credit card or Social Security number (SSN).

Even if your child doesn’t have a credit card, you should still take measures to protect them from identity theft. Scammers may use your child’s SSN to open credit accounts because parents often don’t monitor their children’s credit reports.

Some identity theft protection services may also offer credit monitoring services for children’s sensitive information.

Installment loans vs. revolving credit

An installment loan is a lump sum that you borrow and repay in fixed payments over a set timeframe. Student loans, auto loans, mortgages, and personal loans are all installment loans. On the other hand, revolving credit lets you borrow up to a set credit limit as needed. Credit cards are the most common form of revolving credit. Other forms include charge cards and home equity lines of credit.

Types of credit cards for kids

When your child is old enough for a credit card of their own, it’s important to help them find the right fit. The following credit card options can help your kid build credit history and navigate the world of credit cards with confidence.

Authorized user

You may be able to add your child to your credit card account as an authorized user before they turn 18. As an authorized user, they may receive a credit card of their own and access to your credit limit. However, only the primary cardmember can make changes to the account or pay the bill.

As long as your card issuer reports both the primary cardmember and the authorized user’s activity to a major credit bureau, this can help your child build credit history. But keep in mind that their activity may appear on your credit report and vice versa. So it’s crucial to instill positive credit habits, and practice them yourself.

Student credit card

If your kid is enrolled in college, they might consider a student credit card. Many credit card issuers offer cards designed for college students who have just begun their credit journeys. They may come with features to help students learn financial responsibility, like a mobile banking app that tracks spending.

Some student credit cards offer bonus rewards that may be relevant to students’ shopping habits. For example, with the Discover it^® Student Chrome Card, earn 2% Cashback Bonus^® at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.¹

Did you know?

Student credit cards don’t typically require much credit history, which makes them a good fit for people who are just starting out. There’s no credit score required to apply for a Discover it^® Student credit card.²

Learn More

Secured credit card

A secured credit card is another option to help your child start building credit history. A secured credit card works like any other credit card, except it requires a deposit at account opening.

Typically, the card’s credit limit equals that deposit amount. If your child misses credit card payments, the card issuer may use their deposit to cover the balance and close the account. Otherwise, your kid receives the deposit back when they close the account or upgrade to an unsecured card.

The bottom line

While kids can’t get credit cards of their own until at least age 18, it’s never too early to teach responsible money management habits. By teaching your kid financial literacy and speaking openly and positively about money around them, you can build their confidence. That way, you can rest assured that your child is prepared when the time comes to open a credit card account of their own.

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