# Family wallet

> Academium SMS Help › Student Accounting
> For: School Owner, School Admin, Accountant
> Web page: https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-sms/article/sms-family-wallet
> Last updated: 2026-10-06

The **family wallet** holds money a parent has paid in ahead of time. It can then pay any of their children's fees, including transport and hostel, without a new payment each time. It is under **Student Accounting → Family Wallet**, and needs a plan that includes it.

## Topping up a wallet

1. Open **Wallet Management**. It lists parents with their wallet balances.
2. Choose the parent and add funds.
3. Enter the **amount**, the **payment method**, a **note**, and optionally the **account** the money went into.

> **Note:** A top-up is **not income** yet: it is money the family has deposited. It becomes income when it is used to pay fees.

## Paying fees from the wallet

When collecting fees for a child or the whole family, choose **family wallet** as the payment method. See [Collecting a fee payment](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-sms/article/sms-collecting-fees.md) and [Collecting payment for a whole family](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-sms/article/sms-collecting-for-a-family.md).

- The payment can cover school fees, transport and hostel, including part payments.
- Each payment still goes against the right child and the right fee.
- Academium shows the balance and **will not take more than the wallet holds**.

## The wallet dashboard

**Wallet Dashboard** shows the total number of wallets, the total balance, top-ups and payments, this month's activity, monthly trends and the families with the largest balances. A **Family Wallet** panel can also appear on your main dashboard.

## History

Every top-up and payment is kept in the wallet's **transaction history**, with the balance after each one.

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