What’s all this about Junior ISAs?

You may have heard of the Junior ISA  (Individual Savings Account) which was launched on November 1.  It  is designed to replace the Child Trust Scheme which encouraged parents and grandparents to save for their children’s future from birth. The joy of the Child Trust Fund was that the Government contributed to it by paying in £500 for the child whenyou opened it and another £500 when they turned 7.  I wonder why they’ve dropped it? Sadly the Government will not be contributing to the new Junior ISA which is a tax free way of saving up to £3,600 a year until they turn 18 and decide to blow it all on an unsuitable car. It is eligible for children who do not have a Child Trust Fund, which means those who were born during the time of the Child Trust Fund will not be eligible. Put another way, if your child was born before 1 September 2002 (and is still under 18) or after 3 January 2011 they will be eligible for an ISA. So far not many of the big banks have set up their own Junior ISAs but most are apparently considering it, so it might be best to talk to an Independent Financial Advisor or just hold back for a while to see what deal the big banks come up with before you take the plunge. Meanwhile find out more from moneysavingexpert’s Guy Anker or the Government’s own website. And let me know if you are planning on taking out a Junior ISA for your child by posting a comment.