It sure can. Using the Card to withdraw necessary cash when the Teen needs it is one of BillMyParents' "Spend Smart" system. Parents can feel assured that their Teen will have access to cash wherever they are, as long as there is a positive balance on the card. If funds are low, they can always initiate an instant emergency load and the Teen will have the funds they need instantly.

No. Since this is a prepaid or pre-funded card, credit bureaus are not contacted as part of the application process. This allows open access to many parents who have experienced financial hardship to still fund a Spend Smart Card for their Teen.

Monthly service fees and load fees are charged to the Parent's designated funding source (provided at the time of approval and funding). All ATM charges are deducted from the Teen's BillMyParents Card balance at the time of transaction.

BillMyParents offers some of the lowest fees in the industry for Prepaid Reloadable Cards. See our Cardholder Agreement for a complete list of service fees.

The BillMyParents Card is currently offered to Teens that are at least 13 years old.

The BillMyParents Spend Smart Card is currently available to US citizens who are at least 13 years old.

The reloadable feature of the card allows parents and other approved family members to continually add funds. This can be done as individual one-time loads onto the card or as a recurring monthly allowance. Many Prepaid Cards are not reloadable and once the balance on the card is depleted, it's no longer of any use.

The BillMyParents Spend Smart Card is a prepaid, reloadable debit card that can be used anywhere MasterCard® is accepted. The card is different from a credit card because purchases are not made on credit; rather funds are preloaded onto the card and purchases are drawn from the balance. The card is different from a debit card in that the card does not withdraw funds directly from a bank account, rather uses the funds that are preloaded onto the card. Teens can only spend the amount that is loaded onto the card, so you never have to worry about exceeding the balance or overdraft fees.

No they can't! The Card will only allow purchases and withdrawals up to the current balance; therefore, the Teen cannot overspend or rack up expensive overdraft charges. They also cannot cause an over limit charge, like some credit card companies assess.

The BillMyParents Card can be used for any purchases online that accept MasterCard® as a method of payment. This will allow the Teens to not only make purchases, but also make online payments for a variety of expenses, further encouraging their financial responsibility.

No. Since credit bureaus are not contacted as part of the application process, the use of this card will not affect the parent's or Teen's credit score nor will the card help either of them establish credit – it's completely independent of any credit building effort. Children under 18 are not allowed to incur debt by taking out loans or by possessing credit cards. The purpose of the BillMyParents Card is to provide parents with an option for teaching financial responsibility and budgeting while giving the Teen control over their spending without severe repercussions, like overdraft and over limit fees.

Activation is a breeze. The Teen's new Spend Smart Card should have been attached to a paper mailer with instructions that included these steps to get things rolling:

1. Activate the Teen's Card
   • Visit www.billmyparents.com/activate (or call the number listed on the mailer and follow the instructions)
   • Enter the Teen's email address, password and the security code on the back of the card
   • You will be prompted to create a new personalized PIN number for the card
2. Have Your Teen sign the back of the card.

There are two ways in which a Parent completes the Spend Smart Card application.

1. Parents can respond to an email request sent from the Teen by:
   • Clicking the link provided in the email
   • Completing the application
   • (optional) Providing credit or debit card information to fund the initial load onto the card
2. Parent can initiate the card registration from the BillMyParents website by:
   • Visiting www.billmyparents.com and completing the application
   • (optional) Providing credit or debit card information to fund the initial load onto the card

Once the Spend Smart Card has been ordered, and after the parent has chosen whether to initially fund the card, the Teen should receive their card within 7-10 mail days via US Postal Service First Class Mail.

The date of birth and social security numbers are required by Federal law (US Patriot Act) to identify each person who opens a card account. The Parent and the Teen are linked in this process and the Teen's Social Security Number becomes a unique identifier necessary for verification. It is immediately erased from our system as soon as the verification process is complete and will not be referenced in any other way.

The application for the Spend Smart Card is simple and straightforward. The parent or legal guardian will need to provide the following:

• Parent's Personal Information (name, address, email, phone, date of birth, Social Security Number)
• Teen's Personal Information (name, date of birth, SSN)
• Parent's credit card information to fund the initial load for the Spend Smart Card

In order to use the BillMyParents Spend Smart® Card at ATM locations, the Teen will need to create a secure PIN. While the card arrives with a default PIN, this will need to be changed during the activation process. This is done to keep your money safe. The PIN is changed by following this simple process:

1. After activating the card online, you will see an option to "Change PIN." Click on the link to initiate the process.
2. Enter the BillMyParents Card number.
3. Enter the current (default) PIN. When the card arrives, the PIN will be set as the 3-digit CVV Code from the back of the card, preceded by a "0 (zero)". For example, if the CVV Code was 123, the default PIN would be 0123.
4. Enter the new PIN of your choice.
5. Reenter this same PIN and click "Submit."

This can also be done from within the "Settings" portion of the Teen's account on www.billmyparents.com. Changing the PIN allows for greater card security and permits the Teen to use the card for PIN-required purchases, such as groceries, gas, and more.

In order to keep yourself safe from unauthorized use and theft, we require that you have the card before it is activated. Once you receive the card, the simple activation process will have the card ready for use in a matter of a few short minutes.

No they can't! The Card will only allow purchases and withdrawals up to the current balance; therefore, the Teen cannot overspend or rack up expensive overdraft charges. They also cannot cause an over limit charge, like some credit card companies assess.

Yes they can. What a great concept. Parents, step-parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and even friends of the family can all add additional funds on your Teen's Spend Smart Card. That will sure make gift-giving a breeze. The simple process of adding a new Giver can either be done by the Parent or Teen from within their Account.

Parent

1. Log in to your BillMyParents account by entering your email and password at www.billmyparents.com.
2. On the Overview page, find the tab along the top that says "Friends & Family." Click this to invite another Giver to your Teen's card.
3. In section 1, you will enter the new Giver's name and email address.
4. In section 2, you will see a list of all the Teens that are listed in your account. You may then select the Teen(s) that you would like them to be able to contribute to.
5. You may then choose the new Giver's relationship to that Teen.
6. Click "Add Connection." This person will then receive an email with instructions on how to set up their own BillMyParents Account.

Teen

1. Log in to your BillMyParents account by entering your email and password at www.billmyparents.com.
2. On the Overview page, find the tab along the top that says "Friends & Family." Click this to invite another Giver to your card.
3. In section 1, you will enter the new Giver's name and email address.
4. In section 2, you may then choose that person's relationship to you (Mom, Grandpa, Friend, etc).
5. Click "Add Connection." This person will then receive an email with instructions on how to set up their own BillMyParents Account.

Of course! By logging into your Parent account at BillMyParents.com, you can modify the amount that you'd like loaded onto the card. This option is available in the Allowances section of the Funding tab of your Spend Smart online account. You may modify the allowance to load $20-$500 for a checking/savings account, and $20-$100 for a credit/debit card.

Note: BillMyParents does not recommend that you remove and add a new allowance between the 27th of one month and the 3rd of the next month. This time frame coincides with the initiation of your monthly withdrawal and may interfere with the proper delivery of funds.

Absolutely! This is a great way to provide ongoing spending money or manage a Teen's allowance. Parents won't need to run to the ATM for last minute cash and the Teen may even learn to budget their monthly activities wisely. All recurring allowances are withdrawn from the Parent's designated funding source on the 1st or 15th of each month. The Teen will see these funds posted to their card within 0-5 days, depending on the source of the funding (credit/debit card or bank account).

The Parent can log into their BillMyParents Parent account any time after set-up and create an allowance by choosing the "Set Up an Allowance" option on the Overview page. After this, the parent can select the funding source, frequency and amount of the allowance. After clicking "Add Allowance," the chosen amount will be loaded from the funding source to the teen's card on the selected day. Quick work!

Funds are delivered to the Teen's BillMyParents Card at different intervals, depending on the funding source chosen.

• Bank Account Load – Funded by a checking or savings account (called an ACH transaction) and transferred to the Teen's BillMyParents Card within 3-5 business days, similar to the time it takes for a check to clear.
• Credit/Debit Card Load - Funded by a credit or debit card and instantly available on the Teen's card.
• Recurring Monthly Allowance – Funded by the source designated (ACH or credit/debit card) upon setting up the allowance, the funds are available on the Teen's card according to the corresponding timeframe. The run date (either the 1st or 15th of every month) is determined when the allowance is set up, and transaction duration time will begin on this date. For example, if you choose to load this recurring allowance with a checking account, the money may not be available for 3-5 days after the run date (either the 1st or 15th of every month), whereas if you loaded from a credit or debit card, these funds would be available instantly.

• The minimum load amount is $20.00.
• The maximum load from a credit or debit card is $100 per transaction, performed by the Parent or approved family member.
• The maximum load from a checking account is $500 per transaction, performed by the Parent or approved family member.
• The maximum daily load from all parents or approved family members is $2,500.
• The maximum balance allowed on the Spend Smart Card at any given time is $5,000.

Note: The preceding daily load limits are determined by MasterCard® for all Reloadable Prepaid Debit Cards. The BillMyParents Spend Smart Card is designed for teens, as a way for them to consult with their parents to monitor spending and teach financial skills. As teens do not characteristically deal with large amounts of money, we generally cap the amount loaded onto a card – usually at $500 per day and $1500 per month – as a way to curb suspicious activity. Exceptions can be made based on a complex range of measures and factors, as necessary.

(see "How do I load funds onto my Teen's Spend Smart Card?" for exact details)

You may use your checking or savings account, a MasterCard®, Visa or Discover credit/debit card to fund your Teen's BillMyParents Card. The initial card funding – when done free of charge at the time of card application – can be secured by a credit or debit card only. After that, you may choose which source to use.

One time loads or recurring allowances can be funded from a bank account or credit card. To add funds after the initial load is completed, simply log into your Parent account at www.billmyparents.com.

1. Select "Add Money to a Card" from the "I want to…" bar on the Overview page.
2. You will see all Spend Smart Cards associated with your account along the left side. Select which card you would like to load funds to.
3. In section 1, you will choose the funding source from which you would like to draw funds. Any credit/debit cards or bank accounts you have linked to your account will show up here. If you would like to add another funding source, just click on the appropriate button beneath the list.
4. In section 2, enter the amount you would like to load onto the Teen's card. For more information on load limits and restrictions, see "Is there a minimum or maximum funding amount?"

Note: The first load you perform is free. After this, all loads are assessed a service fee. However, these fees vary by the type of load selected (click here for current load fees). Also, load fees are deducted from the Parent's Payment Source on record, rather than reducing the Teen's available balance on their card.

Parents can easily manage a variety of settings and view card transactions by accessing their secured account on the BillMyParents website. The following lists how to access your account and navigate the main Tabs associated with the Spend Smart Card.

The BillMyParents Card can be locked or unlocked anytime at the Parent's discretion. Sometimes this is necessary for control or accountability, and other times they may choose to lock an account for suspicious activity or if the card has been misplaced and they'd like time to locate it while protecting the balance. While a card is disabled, it will still maintain an active status and monthly service charges will still be charged. To lock the card from being used, follow these simple steps:

1. Select "Lock/Unlock Card" from the "I want to…" bar on the Overview page.
2. You will see all Spend Smart Cards associated with your account along the left side. Select which card you would like to lock.
3. When asked if you are sure you want to lock the card, click the button, "I'm sure, lock the card."

Note: To unlock the card and put it into active use again, follow the same instructions listed above; however, select Unlock in step 3.

Of course! Both BillMyParents Card holders (Teens) and Card purchasers (Parents) can obtain the balance of the Spend Smart Card 24 hours a day. Choose online viewing, the BillMyParents smartphone app, or speak with a representative.

1. Go to www.billmyparents.com, click Parents and log into your account. On the Overview page, you will see any spend Smart Cards associate with your card, along with their balances
2. Download the Spend Smart app on your smartphone. You can see balances, load funds, lock cards, and modify settings.
3. Call BillMyParents Customer Service Center at (866) 883-0820 and request a current balance.

They sure can! Both BillMyParents Card holders (Teens) and Card purchasers (Parents) can view where the Card was used, by logging into their Teen or Parent account.

1. On the Overview page, click on the "Activity" tab along the top of the page.
2. You will see all Spend Smart Cards associated with your account along the left side. Select which card’s transactions you would like to see.
3. Use the dropdown menu to choose how far back you would like transactions to display.
4. View transaction date and time, merchant/description and amount.

In addition, both Parents and Teens can set up email and SMS (text) notifications to let them know about recent purchases, loads, low balances and more.

Absolutely! Parents and BillMyParents Spend Smart Card holders can set up text alerts to be notified of Prepaid Card use by following these simple steps:

1. Go to www.billmyparents.com
2. Log in to the secured account using the Parent email address and password.
3. On the Overview page, click the "Settings" tab along the top.
4. Then click the "Alerts" option to see all text and email alert options. Choose which alerts you would like to receive.
5. If Low Balance Notifications are desired, set the amount at which you would like to be notified in the case of a low balance.
6. Click the "Save Changes" button.
7. Confirm that the mobile number listed in your Account Info, under "Settings", is correct, and if necessary, change and click "Update Settings" to save.

It sure can. Using the Card to withdraw necessary cash when the Teen needs it is one of the most important elements of the BillMyParents' "Spend Smart" system. Parents can feel assured that their Teen will have access to cash wherever they are, as long as there is a positive balance on the card. If funds are low, Parents can always log onto their account and – with a credit/debit card load – the Teen will have the funds they need instantly.

No. Since the Spend Smart Card is funded in advance, the limit for purchases is the actual balance on the card. There is, however, a maximum allowable balance. The Spend Smart Card from BillMyParents may not exceed $5,000 at any given time.

What a great concept. Parents, step-parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and even friends of the family can all add additional funds on your Teen's Spend Smart Card. That will sure make gift-giving a breeze. The simple process of adding a new Giver can either be done by the Parent or Teen from within their Account.

Parent

1. Log in to your BillMyParents account by entering your email and password at www.billmyparents.com.
2. On the Overview page, find the tab along the top that says "Friends & Family." Click this to invite another Giver to your Teen's card.
3. In section 1, you will enter the new Giver's name and email address.
4. In section 2, you will see a list of all the Teens that are listed in your account. You may then select the Teen(s) that you would like them to be able to contribute to.
5. You may then choose the new Giver's relationship to that Teen.
6. Click "Add Connection." This person will then receive an email with instructions on how to set up their own BillMyParents Account.

Teen

1. Log in to your BillMyParents account by entering your email and password at www.billmyparents.com.
2. On the Overview page, find the tab along the top that says "Friends & Family." Click this to invite another Giver to your card.
3. In section 1, you will enter the new Giver's name and email address.
4. In section 2, you may then choose that person's relationship to you (Mom, Grandpa, Friend, etc).
5. Click "Add Connection." This person will then receive an email with instructions on how to set up their own BillMyParents Account.

Yes. Since the BillMyParents Card is designed for Teens and young adults, it cannot be used at venues that provide gambling, any illegal activities or the purchase of alcohol, tobacco, adult entertainment, firearms or ammunition.

Yes. Since the BillMyParents Card is a MasterCard®, it can be used when traveling internationally. There are some small fees associated with using the Card for international ATM withdrawals and inquiries. You can view our current fee structure in the Cardholder Agreement, included with the card, or accessible by clicking the link at the foot of our website.

The BillMyParents Card can be used anywhere MasterCard® is accepted. This includes retail stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, gas stations, super markets…and online shopping as well. Some Teens even use it to pay for school expenses, like books and activity fees, or other recurring bills.

They sure can! Both BillMyParents Card holders (Teens) and Card purchasers (Parents) can view where the Card was used, by logging into their Teen or Parent account.

1. On the Overview page, click on the “Activity” tab along the top of the page.
2. You will see all Spend Smart Cards associated with your account along the left side. Select which card’s transactions you would like to see.
3. Use the dropdown menu to choose how far back you would like transactions to display.
4. View transaction date and time, merchant/description and amount.

In addition, both Parents and Teens can set up email and SMS (text) notifications to let them know about recent purchases, loads, low balances and more.

Of course! Both BillMyParents Card holders (Teens) and Card purchasers (Parents) can obtain the balance of the Spend Smart Card 24 hours a day. Choose online viewing, the BillMyParents smartphone app, or speak with a representative.

1. Go to www.billmyparents.com, click Parents and log into your account. On the Overview page, you will see any spend Smart Cards associate with your card, along with their balances
2. Download the Spend Smart app on your smartphone. You can see balances, load funds, lock cards, and modify settings.
3. Call BillMyParents Customer Service Center at (866) 883-0820 and request a current balance.