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Digital Bank Aims To Help Parents Raise 'Financially Smart Kids'Digital Bank Aims To Help Parents Raise 'Financially Smart Kids'

Greenlight has raised millions in its mission to help parents teach children about spending, saving and investing.

Samuel Steinberger, Senior Technology Editor

September 17, 2019

1 Min Read
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Atlanta-based, teen-focused, digital banking startup Greenlight raised $54 million in a Series B round, led by Drive Capital with additional investments from Live Oak Bank, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, according to Cheddar. The firm is targeting a gap familiar to many financial advisors: the transfer of wealth—and financial know-how—from parents to children. 

The company provides its customers with a spending account with parental controls, linked to a debit card. Parents can decide where their kids can spend money, and how much, for a subscription price of $4.99 per month per family. Financial lessons can also be passed along through Greenlight’s savings account, which offers a parent-set and parent-paid interest rate, goal setting and tracking and a feature where parents can set and track their kids’ weekly chores and payouts. 

"There are a lot of things to teach and the best way kids learn is by doing—by having to actually make the tradeoff decision between buying something in front of them right now and saving for a purchase later," Greenlight’s CEO Tim Sheehan told Cheddar. The financial planning lessons, imparted at a young age, have an impact: “Something a lot of kids learn fast is to keep all their money in savings and that way they have to make a conscious decision to move it through the spend area to go and make a purchase,” he added.

Greenlight will also be launching an investment account “fairly soon,” according to Sheehan. The fresh capital from the Series B will go towards marketing and fine-tuning its investment offering, noted Cheddar.

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About the Author

Samuel Steinberger

Senior Technology Editor, WealthManagement.com

Samuel Steinberger is Senior Technology Editor for Informa Connect’s WealthManagement.com. In his role, Mr. Steinberger provides the publication’s wealth and financial technology coverage. 

Mr. Steinberger’s editorial insight and familiarity with technology accelerates Informa’s growth within the financial advisor and wealth management communities, providing in-depth news for advisors and financial professionals. 

Before joining Informa Connect, Mr. Steinberger produced documentaries with former CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien at Soledad O’Brien Productions (formerly Starfish Media Group). He specialized in research, shooting and editing, as well as finding distinct voices to explain topics like mental health, poverty and racial divide. 

Prior to joining Soledad O’Brien Productions, Mr. Steinberger managed multi-departmental technology projects for global legal technology leader Transperfect Legal Solutions. After obtaining his graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University, he completed his transition from technology management to media. 

Mr. Steinberger is an award-winning journalist, author and researcher who has written, edited and reported for a number of publications, including The New York Times, Financial PlanningAmerican Banker and PBS. He is founder of beverages publication Give Me Weird Drinks

Mr. Steinberger’s technology analysis and insight has been featured in several books on virtual and augmented reality. Mr. Steinberger has received awards and recognition for his reporting and research, including the American Business Media's prestigious Jesse H. Neal Award for editorial excellence.

Follow on Twitter: @slsteinberger