CC option for 17yr old son.

[Anonymous]

As he's approaching adulthood we are starting to teach him the importants of credit and building a positive profile and to learn from our mistakes.
We have decided to get him his first credit card as co signers. We attempted to do it through the credit union but they are saying there is a law that they cannot report to the CRA. I cannot find a law anywhere that states that. So I'm wondering what options do we have and what would be the best route to go. He is 17, employed, and goes to school.
The CU seems clueless and They only report to 1 CRA anyways so it really wouldn't be beneficial to him.

[willwar14]

Illegal to report, if that was true I would think that was illegal then. I would add him as an AU on some cards of yours, and onhis 18th bday try for an amex or discover.

[Anonymous]

all the applications i've read over state you need to be atleast 18yrs of age to be aproved for a credit card.. you could add him as a AU on some of your cards and when he turns 18 will be slightly ahead of the game in terms of having a credit history.. i could also be wrong im sure someone with more knowledge will give you some input.

[Anonymous]

So there's no co-signing prior until 18?

[Anonymous]

We are going to add him as an AU.

[Anonymous]

The CU will let us co sign but won't report it to the CRA's until he's 18.

[willwar14]

I have heard some CUs do co-signing, but I would think its completely legal to report as its correct data. 

[Anonymous]

I was running it by my buddy also as he got his when he was 16 through cap1. His mom co signed for his. But I cannot find anything regarding that either.
I know the kids ambitious, works hard and is wanting to be a financial advisor running his own buisness. I figure what better way than to prepare him than paying some bills and money management.
Besides I need someone to do my taxes too! Lmbo

[Luscher]

Just add him as an AU and then in a year or so he can get his own.

[Creditdreamer]

I was added on my mom's Citi card as an AU at 16/17. At 18, I applied for my own Citi card and received a $4,000 limit. I didn't go crazy with the card spending. But it was very easy with a $4,000 limit to get in the mindset that it would be fine and I could just pay it as I had the money. $20 here, $5 there. It added up. I only had a yearly income of $7680 because I was in college full time etc. I had maxed it out by the time I was 20 and defaulted on the card by the time I was 22 because I couldn't afford the minimum payments anymore, was very overwhelmed, and didn't know any better. If I had used the card responsibly, my credit would probably be amazing right now. So just a word of caution with that. Because if she hadn't added me as an AU, I know there is no way I would have gotten that kind of limit right at 18. I kick myself for being so stupid because digging myself out of this hole has been a long and very difficult process. And it's still in progress. It would have been more helpful had mom gotten me on a budget first and showed me how to stick to it and account for all my spending to make sure I never spent more than I had.