The Child Trust Fund - what do I need to know?
Every child born on or after 1 September 2002 will receive an initial lump sum payment of £250 (or £500 for families that qualify for full Child Tax Credit) from the government. A voucher will be sent to the Child Benefit claimant, usually the parent, which is then used to open a Child Trust Fund (CTF) account with the provider of their choice, likely to be a bank, building society or investment company.
Opening a Child Trust Fund account
Once you receive your CTF voucher, you can choose which type of account to open with it. The three types of CTF accounts are:
• Savings accounts - which provide a safe, risk-free home for your child's money.
• Share or equity-based accounts - which invest in listed companies. These carry risk because the value of the shares can fall as well as rise.
• Stakeholder accounts - are an investment vehicle designed by the government. Your child's money will be invested in shares but the account is run using special rules which reduce the risk and limit charges. The risk level of the investments is reduced when your child reaches the age of 13 so that it is not exposed to any sharp stockmarket falls in the last five years before it matures.
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