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I have an AAOA of 4months. I am 40. Never had credit card because I always had my dad's his name on card I was never listed as authorized user. Never needed credit now I see that I do. My father is 79. He has had Amex forever literally/. My questions is this if I get added as authorized user1. does it show the date that I become an authorized user?2. Does it hurt my score because of utilization as it is different type of cc Please any info??? Will this be what I need to set me up to get auto loan and prime cards???
@annielorie wrote:I have an AAOA of 4months. I am 40. Never had credit card because I always had my dad's his name on card I was never listed as authorized user. Never needed credit now I see that I do. My father is 79. He has had Amex forever literally/. My questions is this if I get added as authorized user1. does it show the date that I become an authorized user?2. Does it hurt my score because of utilization as it is different type of cc Please any info??? Will this be what I need to set me up to get auto loan and prime cards???
I see your quandary and hope I can help. First, AMEX doesn't have authorized users, they only have "additional card members" which is why when you become one, you get a member since date. It's getting more and more difficult to be added as an additional card member and get the primary's member since date once you get your own individual Membership because so many have abused that little perk. However, it is NOT impossible
First, your father would have to add you as a card member to his account, you know this already but it would not be an authorized user. He would need to give them your SS# when adding you, possibly more info (never know what they may ask, esp if you're not at the same address). His AMEX history would then show on your reports dating back to when he opened the account (his member since date) on your credit report even though your card would read "Member Since 12".
If you want to get your own AMEX with HIS member since date, that's a lot trickier and what I think you're asking how to do. Remember, you'd have to have more than 6 months of history plus a score to be approved for AMEX yourself later (12 months would be better). However, having his AMEX reporting on your reports would give you a copy of his AMEX history instantly. Allowing you to apply for another card of your own after your FICO scores show up. Getting your OWN primary AMEX (in the future) to back date to his member since date can be done after that if they don't make it any more difficult than it is now (hopefully they don't). At that point, with your own AMEX, you'll have to state your case as a Card Member that shows up in the system and reports as whatever date his membership entitles you to.
I hope this helps answer a bit of your question.
@annielorie wrote:thanks it does But does the credit report show when I became attached to his account do I get he AAOA benefit
Hello,
I was added as an AU on an Amex in January, and I DID NOT get the AAoA benefit. On all three reports it shows as a new line of credit, and my AAoA decreased on all three reports also.
I plan to take advantage of this during 2012 and pay down balances on my other cards - once I get overall utilization to <10% (without factoring in the Amex), I am going to have myself removed as an AU to get my AAoA back up.
Hope this helps.
TN;
You might want to call them first and ask why you weren't given the member since date an additional card member is entitled to. It's part of the privilege of the primary account holders membership as well as an additional card members under a primary, even if the card doesn't say it, it should say mimic the primary's online info, that's a fact. As well in how it reports. If they won't do it for you when you call, have the primary account holder call and explain they added you as a member of AMEX for a reason, or they could have added you to any OTHER card without an AF.
When I first started my rebuilding process I asked my Father to add me as an AU on his AmEx opened in 84, I got the card and it showed a "Member Since" date of 2011, but it listed on my credit reports as opened in 84, it helped my AAoA's tremendously, and IIRC it raised my scores right around 20-21 points on all three reports.
I have four of my own personal AmEx cards now (I was an AmEx cardholder in 1991) but I paid the account in full and closed it because I was young and irresponsible, but getting back to my 4 AmEx's cards that I hold now, they all show a "Member Since" date of 91 and are listed on my reports as opened in 91.
I recently added my Mom as an AU on my Blue Cash Preferred (12,400 CL) and we just pulled her report here at myFICO last weekend and it lists on her report as opened in 2011, for some reason AmEx did not give her the backdating, my Mom has a VERY long AAoA's so this did not hurt her one bit, so I'm not going to call AmEx and ask about it (I don't want to risk anything).
Is it possible AmEx stopped giving the benefit of backdating to AU's?
I've had mixed results with AmEx backdating.
I originally had my father add me as an AU on his AmEx Green that was opened in 1986. When he did this, in 2007, it showed on my credit report as an account from 1986. This also makes it so my credit report shows a notification that my credit history has records that precede the birthdate associated with my SSN (I was born in 1987.) However, this has not given me any difficulty getting credit to date, and has actually helped tremendously with AAoA.
When I applied for and received my AmEx Blue Cash in 2009, the card backdated to 2007. While I guess I could try to backdate this card to 1986, I don't want to stir up AmEx, and I'm happy I got an extra two years out of it.
This is definitely a YMMV thing. If they sense "credit building," I suspect they're more resistant. However, if it's a courtesy for a cardmember, I suspect they're more willing to be flexible.
There are some cases where they utterly refuse. Others, where they've even gone back to remove an AU's successful backdate to original cardmember and require a full FR on all future approved applications.
So, it really depends. It's worth a shot, but the results are far from certain or predictable.
I could care less if the card says little girl looking for daddys help or if it has purple tie dyes as long as it gives my AAOA the boost it needs
@annielorie wrote:I could care less if the card says little girl looking for daddys help or if it has purple tie dyes as long as it gives my AAOA the boost it needs
That's funny!!
Best of Luck.