Typically, only people over the age of 18 have a credit score — but it is possible for minors to have a credit report. A person under 18 can have a credit report if: Their identity was stolen and used to open one or more credit accounts. A credit agency erroneously created a credit profile in the minor's name.
As a 16-year-old, one of your best ways to build credit is becoming an authorized user on the card of a trusted adult. Until you turn 18, in fact, it's your only real option for obtaining or using credit.
Your teen has a legitimate credit file
If you listed your teen as an authorized user or joint account holder on a credit card, for instance, that could trigger a credit report in your teen's name. This is a legitimate reason for your teen to have a credit history.
The truth is that we all start out with no credit score at all. Credit scores are based on the information in our major credit reports, and such reports aren't even created until we've had credit (e.g., a credit card or loan) in our names for at least six months.
Most people won't have credit reports or scores before turning 18. You typically have to be at least that age to open a credit card in your own name.
The short answer is that 18 is the minimum age for financial products such as loans and credit cards. But anyone can potentially start building credit before 18 if they're an authorized user on an account.
Checking your credit score and credit report at 17
Even if you're still too young to buy a cigar or lottery ticket, you are never too young to check your credit. While many minors will find they don't have a credit report or credit score established, those who do can check their credit just like an adult.
You can begin building your child's credit whenever you want to by making him or her an authorized user on your credit card. Usually, you have to be at least 18 and have an income to take on a credit card or loan, which are the conventional ways that people start building credit.
Children 13 and older can check their credit the same way adults do. By visiting AnnualCreditReport.com – the only website federally authorized to provide credit reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion for free – your child can enter his or her personal information to receive a copy of each report.
Key Takeaways. A 16-year-old can get authorized on a credit card with help from a parent or another adult, but cannot get a credit card on their own. In most states, you cannot get a credit card on your own until you are 18.
Typically, only people over the age of 18 have a credit score — but it is possible for minors to have a credit report. A person under 18 can have a credit report if: Their identity was stolen and used to open one or more credit accounts. A credit agency erroneously created a credit profile in the minor's name.
Kids can't open their own credit card account until they turn 18, and will need to prove independent income until they're 21. But even before then, minors can benefit from becoming authorized users on a family member's credit account.
Yes, adding children as authorized users can help their credit scores. It's up to the primary cardholder to maintain a healthy credit score so the authorized users can reap the benefits.
Credit scores using the FICO® scoring model typically have a range of 300 to 850. For students—or anyone—a score of 700 or above is generally considered a good score. Your credit scores will depend on your credit history and how you've managed past debt.
Note, however, that kids cannot open their own credit card account. Anyone under the age of 18 can only be added as an authorized user on an adult's credit card account, which doesn't come with the exact same privileges — or the liability.
No, a 12 year old cannot have a credit card of their own. Legally, you have to be at least 18 years old to be able to get a credit card. There is, however, the option to become an authorized user on someone else's account.
While it is true that age is a factor, it isn't your age — it's actually the age of your accounts that affects your credit scores. So, no, you aren't born with credit scores (and may not even have one until you've ventured a few years into adulthood, depending on your situation).
The good news: Teens can access credit via student credit cards, secured cards and even some unsecured cards (if they have a steady income), as well as cosigned credit cards and authorized-user accounts.
Minors under the age of 18 cannot open their own credit cards by law (or get approved for other forms of credit), so adding children as authorized users is a simple workaround many parents use to give their kids access to the convenience and benefits of a credit card.
You can get a credit card at 14 as an authorized user, but you have to be at least 18 years old to open a credit card account in your own name. When you turn 18 years old, you'll also need to show that you have your own independent income in order to qualify for your first credit card account.
No, you cannot get a credit card at 15. Anyone under the age of 18 is prohibited from entering into a legally binding contract such as a credit card agreement. But there are some credit cards that permit minors to become authorized users on a parent or other adult's credit card account.
There are two main ways in which a parent can max out credit cards in their child's name. In the first version, the parent uses their son's or daughter's Social Security Number to open up a bunch of accounts (not necessarily limited to credit cards) without consent and/or their child even knowing about it.