![]() One copy of the child's Social Security card One copy of the child's birth certificate One copy of a utility bill, bank or insurance statement, etc. One copy of your government issued identification card, such as a driver's license, state ID card, etc. Here’s what each bureau asks you to submit: If you are the child’s legal guardian (not birth parent), you will also need three copies of a court document naming you their legal guardian.Three copies of your child’s Social Security card.Three copies of your child’s birth certificate.One copy of a utility bill, bank or insurance statement, etc.Three copies of your government issued ID (Passport, Driver’s Licence, etc).In order to request a freeze, you will need: Step One: Gather Your Documents and Make CopiesĪll three credit bureaus require you to mail them documents proving your identity and that of your child. In order to be totally effective, you must put credit freezes in place with all three major credit bureaus. ![]() How to Put a Credit Freeze in Place for a Child With All Three Credit BureausĮach of the three credit bureaus has slightly different requirements for freezing your child’s credit, but the general process is the same and applies to kids under the age of 16. ![]() Why You Should Consider Freezing Your Kids’ CreditĪccording to a 2018 study, more than 1 million children were the victims of identity theft in 2017 alone (the most recent year for which statistics are available), resulting in total losses of $2.6 billion and more than $540 million in out-of-pocket costs to families.Īs kids are increasingly exposed to the outside world through online activity, there’s no reason to think those numbers won’t continue to rise.Ĭlark says that placing a freeze on your minor child’s credit - even before they have an actual credit file - is the single most effective thing you can do to prevent your family from becoming victims of child ID theft. In this article, I’ll walk you through the specific steps to freeze your kids’ credit with all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. It’s a little more complicated than freezing your own credit because it requires multiple documents and you have to do it through the mail, but it’s worth the effort. On money expert Clark Howard‘s advice, I put credit freezes in place for my two young children. ![]() Hopefully you know by now that freezing your credit is the best way to protect your identity and finances from criminals, but did you know you could protect your minor child as well - even if they don’t have credit yet? ![]()
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