SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meriwest Credit Union has announced the launch of the SMART Start Checking Account, tailored specifically for youth aged 9 to 17. This innovative debit-card-based account is designed to promote financial responsibility, independence, and smart money management from an early age.
With the SMART Start Checking Account, parents can empower their children to develop essential money-management skills. This account is not just a way to manage daily cash flow; it's a gateway for young adults to gain a sense of financial independence and learn vital lessons about personal finance.
Key Features of the SMART Start Checking Account:
- Available for youth aged 9 to 17, ensuring a comprehensive solution for various age groups.
- Parental Controls provide added security and peace-of-mind, allowing parents to monitor and guide their child's financial journey.
- Independence is encouraged with the SMART Start Checking Account, eliminating the need for teens to rely on their parents' credit cards or carry cash.
- Responsibility is a cornerstone of financial growth. By introducing financial management and savings techniques at an early stage, young account holders can develop key skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
- Funding the account is made easy through Mobile and Online Banking, as well as any Meriwest Financial Center. For those with a job, Direct Deposit options are available to ensure a seamless flow of income. Parents can also add funds through account-to-account transfers in online banking.
- Learn-and-earn rewards with the Zogo financial education tool. Hundreds of online financial education modules where accountholders earn points towards an array of gift card options.
"At Meriwest, we believe in empowering today’s youth to prepare for their financial future. The SMART Start Checking Account is designed to instill smart financial habits and promote independence from an early age. We want to create a generation of financially savvy young adults who are well-prepared to achieve their goals," said Teresa Caseras, Vice President of Marketing at Meriwest Credit Union.
To learn more about the SMART Start Checking Account and how it can help your child develop a strong foundation for financial success, visit www.meriwest.com, stop by a financial center, or contact Meriwest Credit Union at 877-637-4937.
About Meriwest Credit Union
Founded in San Jose, California in 1961, Meriwest Credit Union, one of Silicon Valley’s largest and most established financial institutions, provides proactive, personal, convenient, and innovative financial services to over 80,000 families and businesses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Pima County, Arizona. Meriwest, with assets in excess of $2.3 billion, offers a wide array of personal banking, business banking, and wealth advisory products and services to members. The credit union was voted ‘Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley’ in the Mercury News’ 21st Annual ‘Readers’ Choice Awards’, ‘America’s Best Small Employers’ by Forbes Magazine in 2023, and a “Best Place to Work” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal 2020 through 2023. More information can be found at www.meriwest.com.
Contact:
Helen Grays-Jones
Meriwest Credit Union
Community Relations Manager
Direct Line: 408-365-6328
hgrays@meriwest.com
