“You’re too young. You can’t do this,” “you’re sold already; just sit down.” Age permanently restricts us from doing so many things, and rightfully so, some things are just not meant for people in a particular age group. But is there a big difference between 17 and someone who just crossed 18? They still have the same mindset, knowledge, and experiences; how much can you mature in a day? Now you have become conscious about money and might be wondering what is the age requirement to create a PayPal account?.
What Is The Age Requirement For PayPal?
Like most legal procedures, you’re often required to be 18 years old before becoming an adult and responsible for your actions. Your age requirement is 18 years of age to open a PayPal account. However, there are situations where minors can open PayPal accounts. The process for opening a PayPal account will be discussed in subsequent paragraphs.
PayPal Student Discount
PayPal is a digital wallet that allows money transfers between different currencies worldwide and many more. Previously, to have a PayPal account, you needed to be residing in the United States of America. However, since PayPal’s origination, it has become more user-friendly to residents in other countries in subsequent years.
In 2009, PayPal set a feature known as Student Account; this was made for minors to have accounts but under their parent’s control.
It has since been dissolved in 2016. The Student Debit Mastercards was also shut down. There are alternatives to PayPal Student Account and Student Debit Mastercards discussed below.
PayPal Student Account and Student Debit Master cards
These accounts were accessible for parents to monitor what their kids were doing with their money.
It worked like a standard account for minors; they could transfer and spend money online. But the accounts had to be closed, and any money that remained in the student’s account before the closing date was transferred to their parent’s accounts.
It was straightforward and suitable to send their children money, it could be on a future date or at the moment.
After the accounts were shut down, PayPal promoted an alternative method for parents to send their children money; however, this method came with many fees for transfer and other activities and account restrictions.
Closing these accounts was because nobody under the age of 18 is accounted responsible for their actions in the United States. Also, minors cannot enter any legal contracts.
Minors still attempt to open PayPal accounts after PayPal Student Accounts were closed.
You could be successful in opening it, but the downside to this is, if eventually it is detected that you are minor, all the money in your account would be confiscated, and no, you would likely not get it back. Even worse, you stand the chance of being permanently banned from using PayPal even when you meet the age requirements; it’s not worth it.
Good Alternatives to PayPal Student Discount
There are a lot of online money platforms available to minors, too; they are listed below.
- Greenlight Debit card. This card is available to minors 13 years of age and above. It is easy for parents to monitor their minor’s money transactions. It comes with an app that shows your transaction history and many other beneficial features.
- Capital One Money Teen Checking Account. Capital One is an online savings financial corporation. It allows minors from 8 years of age and above; the parent opens the account for them and has easy access to the account. Transactions require the parent’s approval always.
- Athenry. Athenry is an online banking platform that allows minors under 6 to have accounts. It has a prepaid debit card and an app. This platform helps kids to become financially brilliant; they would be able to know when to spend money on what is needed and basic wants. Parents can also control their kid’s account activities.
- Bank of America Student Accounts. This bank is for minors under 18, it has no monthly fee, and the parent can access transaction activities. The minor should be at least 13 years of age.
- Alliant Credit Union. This online banking service is accessible to children under the age of 12. It provides joint accounts for parents and their kids, no monthly fees, and the bank funds a new account with five dollars. It’s a great way to start teaching your kids about money.
- MyVanilla Reloadable Prepaid Card. This card is usually available to people 18 years of age and above, but your minor can easily be added as a registered user and would get access to the account as well. The age requirement here is at least 13 years of age.
- Huntington Bank. Anybody can open an account here; a joint account or a co-signer (your guardian) is necessary for minors.
Conclusion
PayPal closed Student Accounts is not clear, but there are other alternatives to choose from; Although at the same time, the age requirement is very compulsory in PayPal, it’s flexible for other online money platforms. So if you’re above 18, you are free to open your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why should I use Paypal?
PayPal provides easy online money transactions; you can buy from online stores and pay quickly through your PayPal account. In addition, you can receive payments in different currencies.
- Which type of PayPal account should I get?
There are mainly three types of PayPal accounts, Personal, Premier, and Business accounts. A PayPal business account is perfect for you if you own a business. Otherwise, you could use either Personal or Premier accounts.
- Is PayPal’s currency exchange rate the same as local banks?
PayPal’s exchange rate is usually higher than local banks, and the reason is that the difference in the exchange rates acts as the payment fees for services provided by the platform.
- Can I use PayPal outside the US?
PayPal services are available in more than two hundred countries, so yes, you can. However, you need to make sure it is available in yours; a fee is also attached to international transactions.
- What countries cannot use PayPal?
The following are some countries restricted to the use of PayPal: Liberia, Lebanon, Iraq, Gabon, Ghana, Haiti, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and many more.
