Keeping Your Child's Credit History Clean
If your child has a Social Security number, they can become a victim of identity theft.

With a clean credit history, a child’s Social Security number can be more valuable to a thief than an adult’s. It can be used to apply for government benefits, open bank and credit card accounts, and apply for a loan. This could lead to a poor credit history before your child reaches age 18. A poor credit score can make it difficult to get good terms on credit, a mortgage and insurance. Some employers and landlords also pull credit reports to predict what type of risk someone might be in the future.

Here are some ways to ensure your child has a clean credit history into adulthood:
Keep documents safe
Don’t carry around your child’s birth certificate or Social Security card. Keep them locked in a fire-proof safe at home. Have your home computer updated with virus protection software.
Also be cautious about who you give your child’s identifying details to. Ask why the information is needed before giving it out. Ask if you can use a different identifier, or use the last four digits of your child’s Social Security number.
Check if your child has a credit report
Your child shouldn’t have a credit history at all before age 14, so any sign of credit history could mean fraud.
Check with the three main nationwide credit reporting companies for a free report. Start at annualcreditreport.com for a free report every 12 months.
Courtesy of RisMedia