Amex backdating: Primary vs. AU questions.

[greenpang]

I've read the Amex backdating threads here but am unsure how it can work for my situation --

2/1983: Mom opened an Amex account. (Still open, never late.)

7/2012: Opened my first Amex (BCE).

12/2012: Opened Amex Green.

12/2012: Asked Mom to add me as AU to her 1983 Amex to increase my AAoA.

Mom added as AU me last month, and she also did so with a 1990 BOA account. Her BOA account now reports as my oldest account, increased my AAoA, and reports as opened in 1990 on my CR. But her Amex is reporting on my CR as opened in 12/2012! Not what I was looking for!

What's the best I can do here? At the very least, I suppose I can get both my Amex Green and Mom's Amex backdated six months to 7/2012, since that's MY Amex membership date.

But can I get my mom's Amex backdated to 1983 on my CR? If successful there, could I also get my Amex BCE and Green backdated to 1983? That would be amazing... Three accounts that are 30 years old!

Also -- what number do I call to request backdating? The Amex backdoor Credit Bureau Unit or something else?

Thanks in advance!

[ceemee2203]

From what I've read, they no longer backdate you to the main account holder. They'll only backdate your own account to the year that you opened your AU account. Since that's 2012, there's no benefit. 

[Repo-ed]

when you become an AU, the card you open on your own will be back dated to your AU year

[greenpang]

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@ceemee2203 wrote:

From what I've read, they no longer backdate you to the main account holder. They'll only backdate your own account to the year that you opened your AU account. Since that's 2012, there's no benefit. 

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Ok, I accept that I can't get my mom's membership date backdating -- but I'm confused about how/why the year number itself seems to have some kind of unique benefit that overrides... actual time/age.

I am definitely not getting something here. This is my understanding (or lack thereof) --

In July 2012, I opened Amex BCE. In December 2012, I opened Amex Green and became an AU on my mom's old Amex. Since my own first Amex was opened in July, my understanding is that I could get the Green and Mom's backdated to a 7/2012 open date rather than a 12/2012 open date -- thus, making those two accounts 6 months old rather than 1 month old. Not a huge boost by any means, but still a boost for my AAoA. (Also would mean that those two will stop counting toward "number of accounts opened in the last year" sooner.)

However, I keep seeing talk of opening at the beginning of a calendar year to reap the largest benefits of Amex backdating, and I can't understand why. What am I missing?

[OhioCPA]

Amex dates new accounts with the current month and the member since year. For example, I opened a new card in June 2012 that was backdated to June 1984. My original 1984 card was more like April or May.

Prior to November 2011 Amex would generally issue additional card member's cards with the member since date of the primary card member. I believe having the same last name and mailing address was important then as well. Since that time, there seems to have been a change in how the cards are dated.

While opening an Amex card will lock the member since year for future backdating, having a new Amex as an ACM likely won't help AAoA. A Visa, MC, or Discover is better for that.