Adding a minor as an authorized user can help build the minor's credit. In some cases, card issuers report to the credit bureaus the payment histories of every individual who has a card in their name — cardmembers and authorized users alike.
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.
Being an authorized user on a parent's credit card can help you build up a credit history of your own, even if you're still in high school or college and don't have a steady income yet.
There is no overarching legal age requirement for adding someone as an authorized user. But card issuers do have different rules, policies and processes for adding minors to card accounts.
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.
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.
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.
The question of whether you can add your child to your card as an authorized user hinges on age. Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Wells Fargo and Citibank have no minimum age requirements for adding authorized users to credit card accounts.
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.
Being added as an authorized user on another person's card may help you establish a credit history or build your credit. Yet cardholders and authorized users' on-time, late or missed payments will be added to both parties' credit reports, so it's important that cardholders and authorized users see eye to eye.
Strictly speaking, parents cannot open a credit card account for their minor children. Only a person age 18 and over can enter into a legally binding contract, which includes applying for a credit card as the primary account holder.
Build credit
When you add a friend or family member as an Authorized User to your Discover® card, you help them build a credit history, with responsible use.
According to credit bureau Experian, a good credit score is 700 or above.
Easier. Yes, it is illegal for you to use your children's social security number to get a loan.
No, you cannot get a credit card at 13 years old. By law, no one is allowed to open a credit card account on their own until they're at least 18 years old, and they will need to provide proof of an independent income until they turn 21.
After turning 18, you can help your young adult set up an account with Credit Karma, including free credit monitoring. This way your child will be notified if anything important changes, like an unauthorized account, so your family can react quickly to any suspicious signs of fraud.
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.
According to a 2018 study done by Credit Sesame, people who had a fair credit score saw their credit score improve nearly 11% just three months after becoming an authorized user on someone's credit card.
The main account holder, rather than the authorized user, is ultimately responsible for any charges made to the card. Adding an authorized user won't hurt your credit—unless they spend too much and leave you in a lot of debt, or they exceed your credit limit.
How long does it take for an authorized user to show up on a credit report? If this information is reported, it will typically show up on your credit score in around thirty days. However, some lenders do not report authorized users to credit bureaus, in which case the authorized user may not appear at all.
Now a child's number can more easily be used to establish a credit history. Minors are especially vulnerable because they are likely to have an unblemished credit history. Some thieves have even been able to make made-up, random numbers work.
How old do you have to be to get a credit card? You can be an authorized user as young as 13, but you have to be 18 to sign up for your first credit card on your own. When you're ready for this step, you'll need to be prepared to show some documentation.
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.