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Adding under 18 as authorized user on amex

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CribDuchess
Established Contributor

Re: Adding under 18 as authorized user on amex


@snowkitty wrote:
I didn't know you could even add your kids to a card under 18. Is this just an amex thing? My kids are 15 & 10 .... do people do this to build their credit or give them ability to shop?


I added my 15-year old son to my BCE and Optima cards earlier this year.  My primary reason was to teach him about credit.  But I also added him so that he could earn cash back and rewards points for me.  I figure he's out spending my money anyway, he might as well earn some rewards for me. 

 

FICOs: TU08 842 EQ08 850 EX08 850

My Wallet: Amex Gold NPSL; Amex Optima Platinum $25K; Amex BCE $12K; Apple Card $20K; BofA Travel Rewards Visa Sig $67.6K; Cap1 Quicksilver Visa Sig $10K; CSP $28.2K; Chase Freedom $13K; Chase Freedom Unlimited $21.4K; Citi Costco Visa $19.3K; Citi Double Cash $13.5K; Citi Simplicity Visa $23.3K; Discover IT $50K; Fidelity Visa $25K; NFCU Flagship Visa Sig $40K; NFCU More Rewards Amex $30K; PenFed Plat Rewards Visa Sig $50K; Sears MC $10.1K; US Bank Altitude Go Visa Sig $20K; US Bank Cash+ Visa Sig $26K; Wells Fargo Rewards Visa Sig $14K
Message 11 of 14
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Adding under 18 as authorized user on amex


@CribDuchess wrote:

@snowkitty wrote:
I didn't know you could even add your kids to a card under 18. Is this just an amex thing? My kids are 15 & 10 .... do people do this to build their credit or give them ability to shop?


I added my 15-year old son to my BCE and Optima cards earlier this year.  My primary reason was to teach him about credit.  But I also added him so that he could earn cash back and rewards points for me.  I figure he's out spending my money anyway, he might as well earn some rewards for me. 

 


+1

LOL...

 

I actually just added my younger brother and sister to my Discover. It back dated them to 2009, giving them 2-3ish years of good credit history. I am glad I learned about credit at the age I did, I will try to pass that on. Here is hoping for more credit bliss LOL...

 

I also didn't realize that there was a minimum age for Amex, or AU in general. I just gave my sister and brothers names when adding them to my Discover, not to sure if that just varies from CCC to CCC.

Message 12 of 14
DeadSpider
Frequent Contributor

Re: Adding under 18 as authorized user on amex

Giving credit to kids as AU with Amex helps how to be responsible with credit and with AMEX you can cap AU's limit.

Message 13 of 14
TNTransplant
Established Contributor

Re: Adding under 18 as authorized user on amex


@DeadSpider wrote:

Giving credit to kids as AU with Amex helps how to be responsible with credit and with AMEX you can cap AU's limit.


This.  Just added my 15yo nephew this month as a way to (hopefully) build an Amex history for future backdating, and to teach him to use credit responsibly.  Hopefully I can teach him to avoid the same mistakes I made starting out.  Also, Amex is great about letting you cap AU limits/keeping an eye on the card.  


Starting Score: Jan 2012: EQ - 659, TU08 - 670, EX - ???
Current Score:April 2014: EQ - 772, TU08 - 782, EX - 754
Last App:3/21/14

Message 14 of 14
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