J.P. Morgan Investing Accounts for Minors
If you’re planning to open a new individual or joint brokerage account at J.P. Morgan Investing, you generally must be at least 18 years old. That caveat matters, because there are a few ways to work around this age requirement.
Overview of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. is a holding company with several financial businesses. These include J.P. Morgan Securities, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Chase Bank, and J.P. Morgan Investing.
By looking through the different parts of this large financial company, we can find some account options for minors.
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
The first place to examine is J.P. Morgan Asset Management. This is an advisory business, so there is no self-directed option here. The firm does offer custodial accounts, which means children under age 18 can have an account opened with the help of a guardian. A custodian who is at least 18 must open the account jointly with the child. Either a UTMA or a UGMA account can be opened.
The drawback of this route is that only J.P. Morgan mutual funds are available. On top of that, there is a minimum systematic purchase requirement (currently, $50 per month), and the funds also come with varying minimum initial investment amounts.
J.P. Morgan Securities
Another part of the financial group is J.P. Morgan Securities. This division also offers custodial accounts, and the list of available investments is much broader here. Available products include exchange-traded funds, mutual funds from multiple fund families, and stocks.
The downside 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 (usually inside a Chase Bank branch). There is no online self-directed option.
J.P. Morgan Investing
There is, however, an online self-directed option at J.P. Morgan Investing. The downside is that it does not offer custodial accounts or any other account types for minors.
Advantages of Custodial Accounts at Chase
A UTMA or UGMA account opened through any J.P. Morgan division will come with several advantages. First is investment guidance. Because a custodial account with J.P. Morgan can only be opened in advisory mode, it will naturally include a good deal of support and oversight. (That will likely mean higher costs, however.)
A custodial account also provides some helpful tax benefits each year, with favorable treatment on the first few thousand dollars of annual earnings.
Assets in a custodial account can be used for purposes other than education. This becomes a legal requirement when the minor reaches the age of majority, so this feature could also be seen as a drawback.
Better Custodial Account
There are many financial institutions that offer custodial accounts, and each one may have certain
strengths that J.P. Morgan Chase does not. Charles Schwab,
for example, offers $0 commission on stocks, ETFs, and 4,200 mutual funds. In addition,
they do not
charge any account fees. Charles Schwab also has a stronger selection of mutual funds and
offers better 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 group, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, we can find additional financial accounts for minors that may be worth considering.
First is the 529 plan. This account is meant only for higher education, although it does offer some advantages that a custodial account does not. For example, the beneficiary of a 529 plan can be changed. That is not possible with a custodial account. There is also no age limit on a 529 plan.
J.P. Morgan Wealth Management does not charge any upfront fees for a 529 plan, although the account will still have other costs. Because the Wealth Management division is, again, a traditional investment firm, the account must be opened through a financial advisor, and the costs will be reviewed at that time.
The last account we found for legal minors is the Coverdell Education Savings Account. This one is also available through J.P. Morgan Wealth Management.
Like the other youth accounts, the Coverdell account has its own strengths and drawbacks. Contributions cannot be made by donors if their AGI (adjusted gross income) exceeds certain limits. In any event, there is a low annual contribution cap (currently $2,000), but unlike a 529 plan, the assets can be used for educational expenses at the secondary-school level or below.
A Coverdell account at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management can be invested in several asset classes, including fixed-income securities, stocks, and mutual funds. The pricing schedule will be worked out with the financial advisor.
Accounts for Children at Chase Bank
Finally, there are several bank accounts available through J.P. Morgan’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, Chase First Banking, can be opened online. College students ages 17 to 24 can open accounts on their own (although 17-year-olds must open in a branch).
Updated on 3/14/2026.
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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