Authorized User Increasing AAoA

Anonymous · ‎05-31-2017

Hello everyone,

I need more advise from all of you credit score gurus.

My credit score is currently 736 Experian, Trans Union, Equifax. I'm currently an AU on my wife's AMEX 6 yrs. 9 months, I was recently approved and have the Chase Ritz Carlton card; I've only had this card for 2 months. My question is, if my wife adds me as an AU on her Master Card that she's had since 1991 will that increase my average age of accounts currently from 3 yrs. 6 mo. to 11 years and most importantly INCREASE my credit score?

Skymogul · ‎05-31-2017

AUs do not increase your AAoA - it's not your account.

** Edit: I missed "wife' there in your post, sorry. Yes, it counts because she's your spouse. **

Anonymous · ‎05-31-2017

I'm an AU on her AMEX which does factor into my average age of accounts currently; it's 3 years 6 mo. over two credit cards her card and my card.

Cashbackjunky · ‎05-31-2017

Don't listen to @Skymogul, being an AU will definitely raise your AAoA! It will affect your credit in a positive way (assuming the card in question doesn't have a really high utilization rate).

Cheers!

837

INQ:
2

836

INQ:
3

825

INQ:
2

TCL: $571.05k CCs:23 AAoA: 6yr 1mo Util: ~1% Derog: 0

Mortgage: $215.1k Sonata Lease: $1.3k Palisade: $23.8k

simplynoir · ‎05-31-2017

@Cashbackjunky wrote:
@Anonymous't listen to @Skymogul, being an AU will definitely raise your AAoA! It will affect your credit in a positive way (assuming the card in question doesn't have a really high utilization rate).

Cheers!

+1

Anonymous · ‎05-31-2017

The key question is how that particular CC issuer will report your Date Opened. Some issuers will give the AU the same Date Opened as the very old card. Others will give you a Date Opened based on when you were added an AU (i.e. a very recent date).

My advice is to give it a shot and see how it ends up reading once it begins appearing on your reports. If you don't like it you can get removed from it.

Anonymous · ‎05-31-2017

@Anonymous wrote:
The key question is how that particular CC issuer will report your Date Opened. Some issuers will give the AU the same Date Opened as the very old card. Others will give you a Date Opened based on when you were added an AU (i.e. a very recent date).

My advice is to give it a shot and see how it ends up reading once it begins appearing on your reports. If you don't like it you can get removed from it.

CreditGuyInDixie, I was hoping exactly as you have stated, that they will use the same date opened when they report opposed to the very recent date that I was added. I will follow your advise and give it a shot I will update this post once it starts to report.

Revelate · ‎05-31-2017

AU may or may not count on FICO 8/9: FICO introduced anti-AU abuse algorithms in FICO 8 and it excludes even some married folks. Can't really tell outside testing (via all revolving accounts zero which is a known penalty, if you take the drop with the AU reporting a balance it doesn't count, if you don't till the AU is zeroed too, you win)

That said, counts on all FICO 04 and earlier models, and since I really only *truly* care about the mortgage trifecta and use those as my gold standard benchmarks, I'm wholeheartedly in favor of adding AU's if it improves your credit file.

Anonymous · ‎07-04-2017

***************Update:******************

The credit bureaus reported the AU from my wife's account from the original date it was opened in 1991 my AAoA also increased from 3 years 7 mo. to 9 years 8 mo.. My score has been raised twice since we added me to her account, however I'm not totally sure when they reported; my score increased once 20 points in the middle of the month I also noticed when I actually viewed the AU on my credit report my score went up an additional 13 points. Current Scores: Experian 769 Equifax 768 TransUnion 779

Thanks guys for once again providing me with your expertise it was extremely helpful.