topic Re: Adding a Joint User in Credit Cards

Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:37:22 GMT

I'm trying to perk up my husband's credit - currently at around 660 and not budging. I already added him as an AU to my AMEX card opened in 2008 bringing his CL up from $500 to $8000. It basically didn't bump his score up at all (maybe 5 points). I'm thinking maybe he'd need some real length added to his credit to actually bump his score up. I have a card I can add him to from 2003, but it's USBank who doesn't report AUs. I'm thinking that instead I should add him as a joint account holder. Would he still get all of the credit history, or would the date opened change? Would they potentially lower my credit limit or close the card based on his credit history? Or just deny the joint user application based on his credit?

Thanks for any insight!

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:17:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I'm trying to perk up my husband's credit - currently at around 660 and not budging. I already added him as an AU to my AMEX card opened in 2008 bringing his CL up from $500 to $8000. It basically didn't bump his score up at all (maybe 5 points). I'm thinking maybe he'd need some real length added to his credit to actually bump his score up. I have a card I can add him to from 2003, but it's USBank who doesn't report AUs. I'm thinking that instead I should add him as a joint account holder. Would he still get all of the credit history, or would the date opened change? Would they potentially lower my credit limit or close the card based on his credit history? Or just deny the joint user application based on his credit?

Thanks for any insight!

Hi Mank, Interesting question.

To me, adding him as joint acct holder should not affect to your current cc's condition. Have you ask USBank?

I did search "joint" in the search box, but I could not find specific answer.

I am still thinking about adding my daughter (a college student and tells me that she does not need any ccs) to my Discover as AU or joint or let her apply her own.

Re: Adding a Joint User

Creditaddict — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:57:57 GMT

I have a joint USbank card with my father, when we originally applied my scores where under 600 and he listed himself as primary and me as secondary on the joint, I don't even think they pulled my credit, we were instantly approved for 15k... over the years it rose to 22500, my credit has never been pulled

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:42:53 GMT

Thanks for the info, I definitely think it's worth a shot. I also spoke with a CSR and he said he'd never heard of them denying adding someone as a joint user. At worst, he said the impact of DH's credit score might drop the CL - which I'm totally fine with (I have more than enough credit, and this isn't a card I use much). So I faxed in the paperwork! I'll let you know what happens.

Anyone know who USBank pulls?

Re: Adding a Joint User

Creditaddict — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:49:05 GMT

EX or EQ I believe but I would be surprised if they even pull his credit

Re: Adding a Joint User

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:00:52 GMT

Just so you realize that once there are two (or more) joint users, one of you can't come back off. The account will have to be closed if one person no longer wants to be on the account.

Each joint user on an account is fully liable for any and all charges, no matter what. Future legal decisions (bankruptcy, divorce, etc.) do not affect this, no matter what a decree might state.

(This info is for anyone reading this thread who might be unaware of the implications of joint credit.)

Re: Adding a Joint User

Creditaddict — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:03:48 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:
Just so you realize that once there are two (or more) joint users, one of you can't come back off. The account will have to be closed if one person no longer wants to be on the account.

Each joint user on an account is fully liable for any and all charges, no matter what. Future legal decisions (bankruptcy, divorce, etc.) do not affect this, no matter what a decree might state.

(This info is for anyone reading this thread who might be unaware of the implications of joint credit.)

This is true for USBANK.

However Chase, you can request to remove a user, but it's like applying for the car yourself, they will pull credit and if you don't qualify on your own the account will remain open as the joint

Re: Adding a Joint User

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:08:06 GMT

@Creditaddict wrote:

... However Chase, you can request to remove a user, but it's like applying for the car yourself, they will pull credit and if you don't qualify on your own the account will remain open as the joint

Thanks for adding this! I had this niggling in the back of my brain that this was true for someone, but I couldn't remember who, or the details. And that makes a lot of sense to me: if the other person's credit is good enough to carry the account alone, they can do so. This must be the first instance I remember reading of anything even remotely pro-consumer on the part of Chase.

Unfortunately, most people who are trying to get off a joint account are doing so because the other person's credit is causing a problem in some way.

Re: Adding a Joint User

Creditaddict — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:14:23 GMT

Citi and nordstrom use to allow removal of joint too. i think nordstrom still does but citi stopped like 5 years ago, i think they saw to many losses because they were not qualifying the poeple that were taking over the account

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:22:38 GMT

Thanks to hauling and Creditaddict ... I just called Discover and the rep told me exactly what you stated. And adding someone as AU will help that person's credit history because they will report to CB. The rep also said she just added her sister to her acct and and her sister's CR shows she is an AU. So, I added my daughter to my Discover More as AU. Moreover, I will keep her card with me ... this is secret! .... and this is at most what I can do to help her until she gets her own.

* The Discover rep ask my daughter's name and mailing address only.

* The Discover rep told me it (AU's CR) does not show the detail of cc, which is date of open, CL, balance etc.

* I did not tell the rep that my daughter does not live with me (non-custodial parent), nor she did not ask me. This may be an issue later on?

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:13:38 GMT

Hey Bunnyrabbit. AU's differ from joint account holder's in that they don't necessarily have to report, and in the newer scoring models they try to weed out "fraudulent" AU's so that strangers can't add people as AU's just to help their reports. This might be a small issue since your daughter doesn't have the same address as you, but I'm guessing it should still be pretty easy to see that she is your daughter so that it will actually help her score. That's the only issue you could face with her having a different address, and even then it shouldn't really be a problem. As far as what the rep told you about things not reporting, I think they're wrong. The whole point of AU's is that you help the person's credit by giving them credit history and more revolving credit (as long as the balance isn't too high). I have DH as an authorized user on my AMEX, and it reports the date I opened it (not the date I added him) and all the balance and limit info.

P.S. DH won't be geting his card either! hehe

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:29:38 GMT

Sent in the joint paperwork on Friday. They did a hard inquiry on his EX credit report the same day. Haven't heard anything from USBank, and my credit limit remains the same online. Crossing fingers that they added him. I'm nervous that they won't because of the negatives on his report Hope I didn't waste an inquiry!

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 07:45:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hey Bunnyrabbit. AU's differ from joint account holder's in that they don't necessarily have to report, and in the newer scoring models they try to weed out "fraudulent" AU's so that strangers can't add people as AU's just to help their reports. This might be a small issue since your daughter doesn't have the same address as you, but I'm guessing it should still be pretty easy to see that she is your daughter so that it will actually help her score. That's the only issue you could face with her having a different address, and even then it shouldn't really be a problem. As far as what the rep told you about things not reporting, I think they're wrong. The whole point of AU's is that you help the person's credit by giving them credit history and more revolving credit (as long as the balance isn't too high). I have DH as an authorized user on my AMEX, and it reports the date I opened it (not the date I added him) and all the balance and limit info.

P.S. DH won't be geting his card either! hehe

A rep did not ask anything else than her name and my mailing address.

I didn't even mentioned her that my daughter has different address, I only told her is my daughter has different last name.

That's fine with me. It is only 2.5k and average of $50 balance. Even she tells her father (she is a daddy's girl), it's not a big deal. What he is going to do to me? I am not going to add her to my any other ccs is sure ... for just in case she tells her father.

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:48:38 GMT

Update: USBank also pulled MY credit (hard pull) on EX. I wasn't looking for it so I didn't notice until now, but they were both pulled the day I sent in the paperwork to turn it into a joint account. Kind of annoyed about the inquiry ding to me, but oh well. Called in to see what was happening with it, they told me it takes 3-5 days to be initialized. If it means approval, the ding will be worth it! We will see.

Also, Experian added my name to DH report and DH's name to my report under "Personal Information - Spouse or Co-Applicant". I don't think that was there before, even though we were co-applicants on his car loan over a year ago...

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 23:00:41 GMT

Just got off the phone with USBank - he's been added, and they've already mailed his card. Credit limit remains the same. Woohoo! Will report back at the beginning of next month when they update with the CRAs and let everyone know if it's reporting to his account. If it is as it should be, I can't wait to buy his score and see if that extra 7 years has helped!!!

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:44:34 GMT

The account is finally reporting, and all of the history is reporting as well. It looks exactly like it did on my report, except now Joint has been added under responsibility (on both of our reports).

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:56:58 GMT

Did his credit score change yet, Mank? I added my husband to 3 of my accounts last week (Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi-Home Depot). We will check his score soon, but I doubt there is much going on as we just began building his US credit in July.

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:20:47 GMT

It's reported on EX and TR, but EQ is lagging a little behind this month. I'm tempted to pull his TR score, but I want to see how it compares with the EQ score we pulled for him last month, so I'm waiting a few days.

If the balance on the cards you added your DH to is low and they have some good age, then it should have a good impact on his scores.

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:27:36 GMT

They are WF12/2004 $80 balance $2700CL, Citi-Home Depot 3/2006 $0 balance 900CL and Chase 4/2007 $0 balance $800 CL.

WF and Chase I called and requested, HD I did online and it asked for his SSN. I hope the other two ask for SSN when an online account is created.

Did they ask for your husband's Social Security Number when you added him as auth? I heard that they often match address and name, but he doesn't use the PO Box I have my bills sent to.

Re: Adding a Joint User

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:34:05 GMT

On this one I added him as a joint user because it's USBank and they don't report authorized users. I've added him as an authorized to my AMEX and they did not need his SSN but still reported, so don't worry about that. I know Chase reports authorized users, and I'm pretty sure Citi does. Not sure on WF. Those balances and ages should do great things for his credit, especially if he doesn't have much revolving credit or age yet.