to ask you which Junior ISA you have gone with?

[redridingwolf]

Wading through Junior ISA info at the moment. I want a sensible one, rather like the F&C Child Trust Funds my older two have (range of equities which switch into cash holdings when they are 13). Looking at F&C, Cofunds, Fidelity atm. Will be paying regular monthly payment.

Anyone care to share their decision/research?

We have one with The Share Centre which is completely invested in shares in companies of our choosing. It's a DIY one so we can change it/invest as much/as little as we want at any time until DD is 18.

That's interesting CheshireDing - quite hardcore. Respect to you for managing that - not sure I want that much responsibility for keeping track of it - would like to invest in a managed fund with a good spread.

The Share Centre do managed ones too Red, it's just that they charge a small fee for that and I am a stingy git .

The DIY one is not that much hassle tbh I put £81 a month in it and then every 6 months will purchase shares. I have purchased some initially for her but it's more cost effective to buy in bulk and then only pay one admin fee. The Share Centre are pretty helpful and respond to emails the same day, it wasn't difficult to set up the account either, they can suggest funds too so it might be worth you having a look.

Personally I felt theirs were better offers than when I looked at the banks and Building Societies.

I've got small amounts going into the Family Investments Junior Cash ISA but I've got a more long standing share-based Children's Investment Trust with them as well... DS born pre CTFs. I tend to have eggs in lots of financial baskets!!!

Are these only open to those who don't have a trust fund?

Yes ninkynonker . Our DS just missed out.

Family Investments is another big one, I know. Any reason you chose them, Cogito? Was it because you already had another investment with them?

Bum. I didn't want the crappy fund (scrooge like I know, we didn't get the 250 though), grandparents etc have been on at me about setting up an ISA.

Hopefully it will be changed in future though, so it's worth keeping an eye on .

Also, you can get good interest rates on children's regular savings accounts (and indeed on children's current accounts), so it's well worth setting these up. Check out moneysavingexpert.com and best buys tables, eg in The Guardian.

Anyone else got a Junior ISA and wants to share which company they went with (and why)?

I'm interested in this as I want to set one up for ds3. I just want to put £250 in and leave it though as I just want him to have something equal to ds1 and ds2's CTF. Can't afford to put money in them every month at the moment.

What about a bond or high interest savings account then Ellie?

The Halifax were doing a 6% childs account for a year (you need to then move it to another product/bank the year after) or the Chelsea Building Society were doing 3.5% bond.

Nationwide have a 90 Smart Saver (I think it's called) with an okay interest rate where you could put Birthday/Christmas money too and just leave it in