topic Re: Is it possible to get approved without a job? in Credit Cards

Is it possible to get approved without a job?

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:19:32 GMT

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?

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

DaveSignal — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:38:00 GMT

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

you could try opening a joint account with your spouse.

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

LS2982 — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:41:13 GMT

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

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:49:49 GMT

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.

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

DaveSignal — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:57:36 GMT

@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.

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:03:53 GMT

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.

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

LS2982 — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:07:13 GMT

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

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:25:36 GMT

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.

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

tbolt2 — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:25:51 GMT

@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 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.....

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

LS2982 — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:48:05 GMT

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

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:53:39 GMT

Specifically, what do you mean LS2982?

Sorry, still working on learning all of the acronyms!

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

DaveSignal — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:58:40 GMT

A lot of collection authorities will be willing to make an agreement with you to delete the account from your reports if you pay them.

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

LS2982 — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:00:40 GMT

Lol sorry.....

What I meant was have you tried to settle your negative accounts with the collection agency's with what's called a PFD (Pay for Deletion) letter. I'm assuming you haven't, I would recommend taking a look at the rebuilding your credit forum here and explore your options on how to successfully remove bad account. It will help your spouse get better accounts and will help you both get on jointly.

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:09:30 GMT

I don't really have any negative accounts. There were 2 zombie debts on mine that I successfully had removed. There is still one lingering that is bogus and I'm about to contact a lawyer about. They didn't verify anything and plus it's over 6 years old now (it's a medical debt). On hubby's he has one bad thing that they are not even responding to. It was something that was reported to a CA by mistake. Nice, eh? Other then that we only have a car loan and no other debt.

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:14:39 GMT

And, I'm not on the car loan.

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

improvingmycredit — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:43:07 GMT

@fuzzybean wrote:
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?

Hey fuzzybean!! Welcome to the forums!

I believe that on the application, there is a separate line that ask for other types of income that you do not have to claim if you so desire. I think this is where as a non employed person, you can claim any income you will be using to pay your debt. I believe you would not be dishonest if you were to put your husband's income here as your source of repayment. Also, I would really look into the "rebuilding" section of these forums. Midland was really easy to work with for PFD when I was trying to build up my scores. Great info there!! Best of luck!!

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:54:18 GMT

@improvingmycredit wrote:
@fuzzybean wrote:
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?
Hey fuzzybean!! Welcome to the forums!
I believe that on the application, there is a separate line that ask for other types of income that you do not have to claim if you so desire. I think this is where as a non employed person, you can claim any income you will be using to pay your debt. I believe you would not be dishonest if you were to put your husband's income here as your source of repayment. Also, I would really look into the "rebuilding" section of these forums. Midland was really easy to work with for PFD when I was trying to build up my scores. Great info there!! Best of luck!!

Thank you! It's just all so frustrating! We're nearly 5 years out from the bankruptcy (and foreclosure that is in hubby's name so doesn't show on my CR) and all we have is one secured card with a $500 limit that I'm an AU on and one unsecured with a $300 limit that hubby has. We did manage to refinance our car last December and went from 26% to 9% that is in hubby's name only. We are considering refinancing again and applying jointly to help rebuild my credit, too. Besides that, we're just stuck and can't seem to qualify for anything.

I will check out the rebuilding section! We'd like to buy another house in a few years and are working our butts off to get out scores up, but we get dinged for the very things we can't seem to qualify for!

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

improvingmycredit — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 15:10:19 GMT

Try not to get too frustrated with it all. I know easier said then done. Building credit is strategic and really takes some real research. It can be done though with a little persistence and patience. It took some time to get where you are at and takes time to get away from it. First off, if you don't mind sharing, how many applications have you applied in the last 6 months and to whom? Also, what were the reason listed for denial? Have you pulled your FICO from here and if so, what is you EQ score? Maybe we can offer some credit card options for you/husband. Before you app to refi your auto loan... Have you looked into joining a CU (credit union)?

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 16:09:34 GMT

@improvingmycredit wrote:
Try not to get too frustrated with it all. I know easier said then done. Building credit is strategic and really takes some real research. It can be done though with a little persistence and patience. It took some time to get where you are at and takes time to get away from it. First off, if you don't mind sharing, how many applications have you applied in the last 6 months and to whom? Also, what were the reason listed for denial? Have you pulled your FICO from here and if so, what is you EQ score? Maybe we can offer some credit card options for you/husband. Before you app to refi your auto loan... Have you looked into joining a CU (credit union)?

I don't mind sharing, since it can only help.

In the past six months, the only thing applied for was by hubby for the barclaycard, but we're guessing he was denied since they said they'd get back to him within 10 days. There was no option for me as a joint applicant, only an AU. The other two cards that we have were applied for much earlier in the year. The reasons for denial were the bankruptcy and not enough credit. Go figure! We also tried a gas card that was denied.

We've tried credit unions. No success.

We pulled our FICOs from here this morning. Mine are now in my siggy and hubby's scores were 716 (EQ) and 722 (TU).

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

fuzzybean — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 16:53:35 GMT

I just noticed on my credit report that Equifax is showing our bankruptcy as pending, not dishcharged. I wonder if that's part of the problem? It was discharged nearly 5 years ago.