Indian Overseas Bank vs ESAF Small Finance Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts

Indian Overseas Bank vs ESAF Small Finance Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) offers the SB – Little Star account for young children while ESAF Small Finance Bank does not offer a dedicated children’s account, even though it has special accounts for students as well as senior citizens and women.

Children’s Savings Accounts from Indian Overseas Bank

SB – Little Star Account

The account has been designed for all children – from 1 day old babies to up to 18 year old young adults.

Features

  • The account can be opened by any child aged 1 day to less than 18 years
  • The minimum balance needed in the account is Rs. 100, while the maximum amount that can be kept is Rs. 50,000
  • IOB offers free collection facility for cheques or draft instruments gifted to the child and valued up to Rs. 25,000 per annum
  • It also offers a Sweep-In, Sweep-Out facility where any amount in the account in excess of Rs. 10,000 is taken out of the account and turned into fixed deposits of Rs. 2,000 each. If the balance falls below Rs. 10,000 then the most recent fixed deposits are put back in the SB – Little Star Account so the balance is back to being at least Rs. 10,000
  • Parents also have the option to invest in other options such as recurring deposits, insurance, mutual funds and so on

Children’s Savings Accounts from ESAF Small Finance Bank Limited

ESAF Small Finance Bank does not offer a dedicated children’s account, though it has special accounts for students, senior citizens and women. Its regular and premium accounts are likely available for minors also under the guidance of parents or guardians.

Regular Savings Account

The account is the standard savings account of the bank and comes with its set of benefits and restrictions. The minimum age of the accountholder has to be 18 years but it is very likely that this account will be also available to minors.

Features

  • The account can be opened with a minimum payment of Rs. 1,000, though the minimum average quarterly balance has to be Rs. 2,000
  • The bank limits the amount of cash one can withdraw or deposit at non-base branches (i.e. a non-home branch) to Rs. 50,000
  • The ATM withdrawal limit is pegged at Rs. 30,000 per day and POS transactions are limited to Rs. 2,000 at Tier II to Tier IV locations and Rs. 1,000 in Tier I to II locations
  • Accountholders of the Regular Savings Account can ask for and receive a chequebook of 10 leaves every 6 months
  • The customer can access the account through all modes such as online, mobile and phone banking

Premium Savings Account

The premium savings account from ESAF also warrants a minimum age limit of 18 years to become an accountholder.

Features

  • The account needs a minimum initial payment of Rs. 5,000 and the minimum average quarterly balance is Rs. 10,000
  • Unlike the standard account, there are no limits on withdrawals or deposits at non-base (i.e. non-home) branches
  • The ATM withdrawal limit is Rs. 50,000 per day for all ATMs – the bank’s own and other bank ATMs. POS limit stays the same as the standard account at Rs. 2,000 for Tier II to Tier IV locations and Rs. 1,000 for Tier I to II locations
  • Premium Savings Account holders can request and receive a chequebook of 50 leaves every 6 months
  • The account has an auto-sweep facility for fixed deposits
  • Access to the account is available through online, mobile and phone banking channels as with standard accounts

Reference Facts

  • Indian Overseas Bank Website: www.iob.in and www.iobnet.co.in (net banking)
  • Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
  • Call Centre Number: 1800 425 4445
  • ESAF Small Finance Bank Website: www.esafbank.com
  • Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala
  • Call Centre Number: 1800 103 3723