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Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

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colindidit
Established Contributor

Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

Ok so A while back my fiancée got approved for a 1500 cl from cap one and she added me as an AU without me knowing...i was fine with it initially because she didn't buy much it. However I don't and have never used it because I have my own cards...she maxes it out and only pays the minimum her credit is not good as compared to mine and the fact that I'm an authorized user makes it report on my credit karma and other reports...would removing me as an AU improve my score or not change it at all.

Wallet: Barclay-5k, Citadel MC- 5k, Slate- 4k, Freedom- 3k, BOA- 3k, Citi- 2k, AMEXBCE- 2k and more...
Message 1 of 15
14 REPLIES 14
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?


@colindidit wrote:

Ok so A while back my fiancée got approved for a 1500 cl from cap one and she added me as an AU without me knowing...i was fine with it initially because she didn't buy much it. However I don't and have never used it because I have my own cards...she maxes it out and only pays the minimum her credit is not good as compared to mine and the fact that I'm an authorized user makes it report on my credit karma and other reports...would removing me as an AU improve my score or not change it at all.


The major factor is if her balance is affecting your utilization rate, then yes removing it would almost certianly help by some amount.  Run the numbers with the balance included and without the balance and see what you get.

 

There are smaller negatives as well which may still factor:

  • Having any card near maxxed
  • An additional card carrying a balance

On the whole, I'd suggest you get rid of it; however, if there's a social impact YMMV so it's worth running the utilization numbers anyway as that's the major potential impact to your score.




        
Message 2 of 15
bs6054
Valued Contributor

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?


@Revelate wrote:

@colindidit wrote:

Ok so A while back my fiancée got approved for a 1500 cl from cap one and she added me as an AU without me knowing...i was fine with it initially because she didn't buy much it. However I don't and have never used it because I have my own cards...she maxes it out and only pays the minimum her credit is not good as compared to mine and the fact that I'm an authorized user makes it report on my credit karma and other reports...would removing me as an AU improve my score or not change it at all.


The major factor is if her balance is affecting your utilization rate, then yes removing it would almost certianly help by some amount.  Run the numbers with the balance included and without the balance and see what you get.

 

There are smaller negatives as well which may still factor:

  • Having any card near maxxed
  • An additional card carrying a balance

On the whole, I'd suggest you get rid of it; however, if there's a social impact YMMV so it's worth running the utilization numbers anyway as that's the major potential impact to your score.


So does being removed as an AU purge that card from your record, or is it like closing a card, so it's still on the report, but is no longer factored in to utilization?

Message 3 of 15
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?


@bs6054 wrote:

@Revelate wrote:

@colindidit wrote:

Ok so A while back my fiancée got approved for a 1500 cl from cap one and she added me as an AU without me knowing...i was fine with it initially because she didn't buy much it. However I don't and have never used it because I have my own cards...she maxes it out and only pays the minimum her credit is not good as compared to mine and the fact that I'm an authorized user makes it report on my credit karma and other reports...would removing me as an AU improve my score or not change it at all.


The major factor is if her balance is affecting your utilization rate, then yes removing it would almost certianly help by some amount.  Run the numbers with the balance included and without the balance and see what you get.

 

There are smaller negatives as well which may still factor:

  • Having any card near maxxed
  • An additional card carrying a balance

On the whole, I'd suggest you get rid of it; however, if there's a social impact YMMV so it's worth running the utilization numbers anyway as that's the major potential impact to your score.


So does being removed as an AU purge that card from your record, or is it like closing a card, so it's still on the report, but is no longer factored in to utilization?


To my knowledge (anecdotally) any removal of an AU gets the tradeline airstruck completely.  I don't think this varies by lender either though I could be mistaken about that second part.  I'm relatively confident we've had reports of Cap One explicitly removing the AU tradeline but admittedly since it's a situation that will never apply to me I only paid cursory attention. Cat Tongue




        
Message 4 of 15
PNYKILR
Valued Member

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

I was just removed from my ex's (AU)Citi bank card $6k limit. BAL is $4,500. My scores jumped almost 30 points. Citi is no longer reporting to any of my 3.

NFCU Cash Rewards Sig $10k, NFCU Flagship $7.5K, NFCU LOC $7,500
Discover IT $600, Barclays MC Rewards $1,900,Barclay's Apple $1,500 Capital One $2,500, Capital One $1,500, US Bank 1-2-3 Rewards $2,500, US Bank FlexPerks AMEX $5,000, Walmart $1,200, USNMFCU $10,000, AMEX Everyday $500, AMEX BCE $8,000.


Message 5 of 15
jake619
Frequent Contributor

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?


@colindidit wrote:

Ok so A while back my fiancée got approved for a 1500 cl from cap one and she added me as an AU without me knowing...i was fine with it initially because she didn't buy much it. However I don't and have never used it because I have my own cards...she maxes it out and only pays the minimum her credit is not good as compared to mine and the fact that I'm an authorized user makes it report on my credit karma and other reports...would removing me as an AU improve my score or not change it at all.


Which is it?  Doesn't matter I guess but seems odd.  

 

If you don't like the cross-reporting get the AU removed.  Even if it stays on your account (meaning the updating stops but it isn't deleted) that's probably better than having her higher balances affect your utilization.

Message 6 of 15
Sweets8E
Frequent Contributor

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

I had a friend once who's mom had her added to every credit card she had as an AU. When my friend got married and wanted to buy a house, she discovered that her mother had handled the accounts poorly, and all of it was reflected on her CBR's too. She called in and explained that the accounts were not hers and that her mother without her knowledge added her as an AU. Those accounts had to be removed completely, and no trace of them exists on her report. She was able to get her house, and luckily for her, she didn't have to pay the penalty for her mom's poor judgement.

 

I don't know how this will affect your relationship with your fiancee, but you could kind of put it as a "thanks but no thanks babe" kind of thing...Have a discussion about the importance of credit and utilization and then explain why you do not want to be on the card if you truly do not want to be.


Starting Score: 686 TU / 683 EQ 01/17/2013
Current Score: 703 TU / 691 EQ 10/04/2013 / 688 EX 11/12/2013
Goal Score: 700 across all three


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Message 7 of 15
tcbofade
Super Contributor

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

DW and I add and remove eachother all of the time for various reasons...

 

If you remove yourself as an AU, it SHOULD remove the account from your credit report completely...if it doesn't, it's a simple request to the CRA and they're generally pretty quick about fixing it. 

 

Good luck!

02/01/24 Fico 8: EX 757, EQ 803, TU 783.
Fico 9: EX 760 12/16/23, EQ 790 02/04/24, TU No idea.

Zero percent financing is where the devil lives...
Message 8 of 15
CreditScholar
Valued Contributor

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

You should really remove yourself as an AU if it's reporting and she's being irresponsible.

 

You should also have a discussion with her about finances and credit. You need to be on the same page (at least mostly). If she can't exercise some more self-discipline, you might want to re-consider marrying her. This is a often a quick road to destination: divorce.

EX 798, EQ 789, TU 784
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Message 9 of 15
colindidit
Established Contributor

Re: Is my fiancée ruining my credit?

Not marrying her isn't exactly what I'm going for or worrying about right now. We're currently in school ... I do talk to her and hope in the near future she will decide to be more responsible. I tell her everyday how her compulsive spending is not responsible and her credit is needed in the long run . Her excuse is that right now I'm worried about the present. I can't be as care free as her but right now she is the one paying the bills and it's her money. I can only suggest so much
Wallet: Barclay-5k, Citadel MC- 5k, Slate- 4k, Freedom- 3k, BOA- 3k, Citi- 2k, AMEXBCE- 2k and more...
Message 10 of 15
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