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What are your and your wife's credit scores? How many inquiries in the last year?
Have you tried looking to see if you are pre-approved for an AMEX card?
https://www304.americanexpress.com/secure/my-special-offers?btct=SJHP_tile_ultimate
I think it will be difficult for you to get the AMEX green. You are currently in re-build mode and AMEX is a prime card.
Your wife may have a shot. If she gets approved, she then can add you as an authorized user.
Since her scores were pulled 1.5 years ago, I would personally get an updated report and score before applying.
You can get free scores at creditkarma.com and creditsesame.com. They are not true FICO scores, but I have found that the scores they provide are pretty close to my own FICO scores (they are actually lower). But at least you get some idea.
I believe that AMEX will pull from Experian.
You can get a FREE credit report at annualcreditreport.com
Just check to see what her current score is. We will get a better idea.
Does she have any baddies at all on her report?
you can also check out whogavemecredit.com
It is a site that you can check to see who got approved for the card, including their credit scores, income and other comments. I see some on there approved with lower 600 scores. AMEX has their own internal scoring system. They look at many factors, not just FICO scores. I know I personally was not worthy of AMEX for a long time.
Any luck with the pre-approval site? Their charge cards are easier to get than their credit cards. My 19 year old has a Zync card. Her score is around 712, but she has only a 7 month credit history. Had a 4 month history when she applied. Even though her file is thin, it is clean.
It sounds like your wife can get approved. She has no defaults, decent score. I'm hoping someone else will chime in on your own personal score.
However, as indicated, if your wife gets approved, she can add you as AU so all would not be lost.
Has either you or your wife ever carried AMEX in the past? It could help scores with backdating as well.