J.P. Morgan Investing Accounts for Minors
If you’re thinking about opening a new individual or joint brokerage account at J.P. Morgan Investing, you will need to be at least 18 years of age to do that, generally speaking. That caveat is important, because there are a few ways around this requirement.
Overview of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a holding company that owns several financial operations. These include J.P. Morgan Securities, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Chase Bank, and J.P. Morgan Investing.
By exploring the different sections of this large financial institution, we can find some accounts for adolescents.
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
The first place we’re going to look is J.P. Morgan Asset Management. This is an investment-advisory operation, so there won’t be a self-directed option here. The firm does offer custodial accounts, which means children under the age of 18 can open an account with the help of a guardian. A custodian above the age of 18 must open the account jointly with the child. Either a UTMA or a UGMA account can be opened.
The downside of this workaround is that only mutual funds from JPMorgan are available. Moreover, there is a minimum systematic purchase amount (currently, $50 every month), and funds have various minimum initial purchase amounts, too.
J.P. Morgan Securities
Another branch of the financial conglomerate is J.P. Morgan Securities. This organization also offers custodial accounts, and there’s a much longer list of tradable products here. There are exchange-traded funds, mutual funds from a variety of fund families, and stocks.
The drawback is that J.P. Morgan Securities, like J.P. Morgan Asset Management, is a traditional investment firm, which means every account must be opened through a local financial advisor (typically inside a Chase Bank location). There is no online self-directed option.
J.P. Morgan Investing
But there is an online self-directed option at J.P. Morgan Investing. However, there are no custodial accounts or other account types for minors.
Advantages of Custodial Accounts at Chase
A UTMA or UGMA account opened through any JPMorgan unit will have several benefits. First up is investment advice. Because a custodial account with JPMorgan can only be opened in investment-advisory mode, it will naturally come with a lot of guidance and oversight. (This will likely come at a higher cost, however.)
A custodial account also delivers some nice tax breaks each tax season, with discounts on the first few thousand dollars in earnings each year.
Assets in a custodial account can be used for other purposes besides education. This is a legal requirement when the minor reaches the age of majority, so it could be viewed as downside as well.
Better Custodial Account
There are numerous financial institutions that offer custodial accounts, each with its own set of
advantages that JPMorgan Chase may not provide. Charles Schwab,
for instance, offers $0 commission on stocks, ETFs, and 4,200 mutual funds. Moreover,
they do not
charge any account fees. Additionally, Charles Schwab boasts a better selection of mutual funds and
provides superior trading and research tools.
Learn more...
Visit Charles Schwab Website
Visit Schwab Website
Other Chase Investment Accounts for Children
Through another branch of this large financial conglomerate, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, we can find additional financial accounts for juveniles that are worth considering.
First is the 529 plan. This account is for higher education only, although there are some benefits that the custodial account doesn’t offer. For example, the beneficiary of a 529 plan can be changed. This is not possible on a custodial account. Also, there is no age limit on a 529 plan.
J.P. Morgan Wealth Management does not charge any upfront fees for a 529 plan, although there will be other fees incurred by the account. Because the Wealth Management division of the company is once again a traditional investment firm, the account must be opened through a financial planner, and costs will be discussed at that time.
The last account we found designed for legal minors is the Coverdell Education Savings Account. This one is also through J.P. Morgan Wealth Management.
Like the other juvenile accounts, the Coverdell account has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Contributions cannot be made by donors if their AGI (adjusted gross income) exceeds various limits. In any case, there is a low contribution maximum every year (currently $2,000), but unlike the 529 plan, assets can be used to cover educational expenses at the secondary level or below.
A Coverdell account at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management can be invested in various asset classes, including fixed-income securities, equities, and mutual funds. The pricing schedule will be negotiated with the financial advisor.
Find a Financial Advisor
Find a Financial Advisor
Accounts for Children at Chase Bank
Finally, there are a variety of bank accounts with JPMorgan’s affiliate Chase Bank. Children ages 6 to 17 can open checking accounts with the help of their parents or other legal guardians. One of these accounts, the Chase First Banking account, can be opened online. College students ages 17 to 24 can open accounts by themselves (17-year-olds must open in branch).
Updated on 1/7/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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