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Is it possible to get approved without a job?

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fuzzybean
Frequent Contributor

Is it possible to get approved without a job?

Are there any credit cards left out there that allow for household income?  I know the laws changed a couple years ago so that spouses had to have their own income to apply.  I'm trying to get a card to build up my credit.  Hubby has one secured and one unsecured, both with very low credit limits.  He has been unsuccessful and getting anything else so we decided we'd try to see if I could get one on my own, but I do not work.  I'm thinking that's not even possible anymore.  Or, is it?

Message 1 of 44
43 REPLIES 43
DaveSignal
Valued Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

EDIT:  (unethical advice removed. sorry, wasn't thinking the first time)

 

you could try opening a joint account with your spouse.

EX:694 TU:744 EQ:777
Amex ED $19.5k - BoA Travel Rewards $15k - CSP $5k - SDFCU EMV $15k - NFCU goRewards $20k - Barclays Arrival $6.5k
Message 2 of 44
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

@Dave not sure this site considers that ethical, why not just go on as AU on your spouse's cards?



EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 3 of 44
fuzzybean
Frequent Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

Hubby only has 2 cards, one secured and one unsecured.  I cannot be an AU on one and already am on the other.  One of the things I supposedly needs is more CC to build up my score.

Message 4 of 44
DaveSignal
Valued Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?


@LS2982 wrote:
@Anonymous not sure this site considers that ethical, why not just go on as AU on your spouse's cards?

I opened my SDFCU card as a joint account with my wife.  She didn't have a job at the time.  We just put my income down for the whole thing.  This is the only card she has that is in her name except for AU cards.  I suppose that is the ethical way to do it.

EX:694 TU:744 EQ:777
Amex ED $19.5k - BoA Travel Rewards $15k - CSP $5k - SDFCU EMV $15k - NFCU goRewards $20k - Barclays Arrival $6.5k
Message 5 of 44
fuzzybean
Frequent Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

The thing is, hubby can't seem to get approved for anymore credit.  We had a bankruptcy in 2005 and we're slowly but surely building ourselves back up.

Message 6 of 44
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

A joint account is different and the right way to do it IMO.



EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 7 of 44
fuzzybean
Frequent Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

We'd love a joint account.  However, we haven't been able to do that.  We've tried!  He has more negatives on his CR report and that's why we thought I could try getting a CC on my own and adding him is an AU.

Message 8 of 44
tbolt2
Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?


@DaveSignal wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:
@Anonymous not sure this site considers that ethical, why not just go on as AU on your spouse's cards?

I opened my SDFCU card as a joint account with my wife.  She didn't have a job at the time.  We just put my income down for the whole thing.  This is the only card she has that is in her name except for AU cards.  I suppose that is the ethical way to do it.


 

I would think that the joint app it is the only ethical and legal way to get a CC for a spouse who does not work. Before the law changed last year, my stay at home wife and I used HHI with my her apps. MY scores were bad...Her 750+ scores plus my income....good times Smiley Happy  Now, I am almost done rebuilding, gardening now. Just waiting for aging and payment history  on the accounts we've setup to handle the rest. I'm a few points from 700, she's back to the mid 700's, but we can't do anything with her credit alone. Anything we do credit wise now is in my name with her as AU or as a joint account.

 

See this also:

 

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/legal-consequences-of-lying-on-credit-card-application-fraud-1282.php

 

While the above story  involves someone allegedly doing a lot more than just getting a card for their spouse, it does illustrate the risk for providing false information and the article does point that out. I think the risk for this type of situation would very very low....you'd probably get away with it.  Personally, I would not risk providing false information on an app to get a card for my spouse. Love  her a lot....but not enough to risk jail time because of a CC app..... Smiley Happy


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Message 9 of 44
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job?

@fuzzy have you tried settling the baddies with PFD letters?



EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 10 of 44
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