---
title: "Coogan accounts"
slug: "coogan-accounts"
tags: ["child", "children", "Coogan", "Coogan account", "dad", "daughter", "father", "kid", "legal guardian", "minor", "minor payment", "mom", "mother", "multifamily", "parent", "parents", "son", "trust account", "under 18"]
updated: 2026-05-21T18:35:37Z
published: 2026-05-21T18:35:37Z
canonical: "help.wrapbook.com/coogan-accounts"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.wrapbook.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Coogan accounts

## About Coogan accounts

The [*Coogan Law*](https://www.sagaftra.org/membership-benefits/young-performers/coogan-law/coogan-law-full-text) was created in 1939 to protect young performers in the entertainment industry. Named after child actor [Jackie Coogan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Coogan), who discovered upon reaching adulthood that his earnings had been spent by his parents, the law mandates that 15% of a child's earnings be automatically deposited into a special protected account, called a *Coogan account*.

Today, *Coogan accounts* help protect a portion of minors’ earnings until they reach adulthood. More information can be found on the [SAG-AFTRA website](https://www.sagaftra.org/membership-benefits/young-performers/coogan-law).

## Key Information

- Coogan accounts are a specialized bank account that can only receive payments via ACH
- A percentage of the minor's wages will automatically be deposited into the Coogan account as required by state law
- If agency fees apply, they will be calculated based on the total wages before the Coogan account distribution
- Some background actor roles may not require a Coogan account - check your state's specific requirements

## States requiring Coogan accounts

Coogan accounts are legally required in these states:

### California

- Must be opened with a CA bank as a special blocked trust fund account

### New York

- Must be an *Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA)* or *Uniform Gifts to Minors Act* (*UGMA)* compliant trust account
- Can be opened with any bank in any state

### Louisiana

- Must be a *Blocked Trust Account* with any bank

### New Mexico

- Only required if child earns more than $1000 per employment contract
- Must be a *Blocked Trust Account* with any bank in New Mexico

### Illinois

- Must be a *Blocked Trust Account* with any bank, with at least 15% of gross earnings deposited
- A Coogan account is not required for background performers

Wrapbook cannot disburse payments to minors without a valid Coogan account in states where it's required by law.

## How to set up a Coogan account

To set up a Coogan account for a child actor, you'll need to:

- Open a trust account with a financial institution
- Gather required documents (child's birth certificate, Social Security number, proof of employment)
- Notify the employer to deposit 15% of the child's earnings into the account
- Confirm that the account is enabled to accept direct deposits only

Once this is done, you can add the account information to your *Coogan or Trust Account* page in Wrapbook as follows:

1. In the left-side navigation, click **Settings**
2. Next to *Coogan or Trust Account*, click **Edit**
3. In the *Add bank account* popup, enter the required information, then click the **Add bank account** button

## Troubleshooting

If you don’t see payments that you expected to be deposited to a Coogan account, you should review the information on the Wrapbook account holder’s *Coogan or Trust Account* page to verify:

- The bank account provided is specifically designated as a Coogan account
- All banking information is entered correctly
- The minor's [profile](/v1/docs/how-to-update-your-account-settings-worker) and parent/guardian information are properly set up