Welcome to SmartStart

To register for and use SmartStart, both your child and you as the parent or supervising adult on your child’s account will need to be the primary owner of a Savings account and register for your own Online Banking account access.

First, register the parent/guardian:

• Log in to Online Banking or the United Financial mobile app.
• Add SmartStart card from the Organize Dashboard menu (bottom of your online banking page)
• Fill out the User Registration Detail field with your name, preferred account and phone number or email for notifications. Select Submit.
• Read and agree to the Agreement and Disclosures and the COPPA Privacy Policy, then select Submit.

Next, register the child(ren):

• Once you’ve registered, select the option to register a child.
• Enter the child’s first name as it appears on your shared account.
• Select which of your child’s accounts you’d like SmartStart to use for making transfers.
• Enter your child’s birthday.
• Select an avatar for your child, which you can change at any time. If you’d prefer to add your own photo, you can do so after registration (select the three dots in the upper right corner and Change Avatar).
• Select Submit.

If you’d like to register more children, select Submit — Add another child and repeat the steps above. There’s no limit on how many children you can register.

Opening a new account for your child is exciting and oftentimes comes with many questions. We recommend visiting any one of our branches to sit with one of our new account representatives. They can answer all your questions while setting the stage for a healthy relationship between your child and their finances!

At the time of account opening, you’ll be asked to provide your child’s Social Security Number, date of birth and address, along with a current or unexpired acceptable form of ID.

Examples of an acceptable form of ID for minors:

• Driver’s license or state-issued ID
• Birth certificate
• U.S. passport or passport card

Yes! In most cases, an existing minor account can be used to access the SmartStart program. If your child has an existing account and you would like to start using SmartStart parents will need to get them started following these steps.

1. Parent will start the enrollment process in their Digital Banking Accounts.  Add the SmartStart card to your digital banking dashboard.
2. Within the SmartStart card in Digital Banking – start the enrollment process and register your child. 
3. The Child will now need to log into or enroll in Digital Banking and add the SmartStart card to their dashboard to complete the registration process. 

United Financial understands that choosing to give a child access to Online Banking is a decision that parents needs to be able to make based on their own comfort level and child’s ability to functionally access and properly use the program. If you prefer for your child to not have their own log in access for Online Banking, you as the parent or guardian joint owner of your child’s minor account can access the SmartStart program and the features within your online banking on their behalf.

If there are multiple joint owners on a child’s account, both owners can register for SmartStart and register the child. However, the full functionality of SmartStart can only be accessed by the first parent/guardian who registered the child.

Both you and your child(ren) must have your own Savings accounts to use SmartStart’s features.

The parent/guardian can use any of their Savings or Checking accounts for SmartStart transactions; the child will only be able to use a Savings and/or Checking account.

To change the parent’s/guardian’s linked account:

• Log in to your Digital Banking
• Access your SmartStart card
• In the SmartStart window, select the settings wheel in the upper left corner of the page.
• Select Change associated parent account.
• Choose your preferred transfer account from the drop-down list.
• Select Submit, then Yes when asked if you’re sure you want to change the associated account.

To change the child’s linked account:

• Log in to your Digital Banking (access from the parent side)
• Access your SmartStart card
• In the SmartStart window, choose the child’s profile you’ll be updating.
• Select the three dots in the upper right corner and choose Change Linked Child Account.
• Select the account you’d like your child to use for SmartStart transactions. This account will receive transfers for task completions, allowance and grade reports. Loan payments will also come out of this account.
• Select Submit, then Yes when asked if you’re sure you want to change the associated account.