I recieved an amount at 16 from my grandparents that they had held in trust.

We have a bonus savings account for both DS' which we put $15 'pocket money" per DS. On the anniversary of the account being opened the money is transfered into an attached account earning zip. We then withdraw the money & invest it by buying shares through E-Trade which we opened in trust also when they were born. DS1 has over $6000 inc money Grandparents gave him plus half of the baby bonus. We also opened him an ASG account to save for school each year this increases by 8% each anniversary. Not sure how much is in that. DS2 is just starting out so not as much, but with DS2 we haven't opened a ASG account as after further research it is very restrictive with it being a balanced fund and for the time we are investing for we can be a little more risky imo. Instead we save the same amout as DS1 but once we reach $500 - $1000 we buy more shares. Hopefully the E-Trade trusts & ASG will give us the money to pay for there education/sports/music etc as well as have money to help them to do whatever they want in the future travel, house, car etc. We have no real age set out for them to recieve the money just as they need it. We do have it in our Will's that if anything should happen to both DH & I then they would have control over there portfolios at 21.