Children as Authorized Users

[Anonymous]

Typically the minimum age is 13 with most CCC, though there are a few who don't require an age. You'd have to do your homework to see if the cards you have fit your desire. But there is no real benefit to add them at age 5 as opposd to 13. When they're not even going to utilze the ability until about 7 years later.

I just wished that more CCC offered spending limits on authorised users besides Amex.

[Anonymous]

This is something I’ve also been looking at. My two older kids are 15 and 14. My thought is to make them both AUs on my Quicksilver. It’s a steps card with a $500 limit that’s unlikely to grow much. I plan to have cards issued in their names and to keep those cards in my lockbox. When they will be going somewhere that having a card is wise, I’ll give them their cards and a limit to spending. Both are good about things like that and I don’t worry about them blowing off the limit I give and spending more, especially since I’ll show them how the purchase alerts show up on my phone almost instantly. Being a lower limit card, it’d be hard for them to get me into debt trouble, and as the card by next spring will be basically a SD card with only a Netflix subscription, there’ll always be plenty of room for use on it.

[digitek]

I've been meaning to to for a bit, but this thread just reminded me and I added my 10 year old and 2 year old as AU's to Chase Amazon and Citi DC.  Both asked for age and had no problem adding them.

I'll probably chop the cards up when they get here.  Hopefully it can help them in the future, but I can't really see a reason not to.

Thanks OP

[Anonymous]

Our 13 yo is an AU to DH’s Amex Plat. She has a $500 limit and only gets the card in very controlled circumstances. We got her the card for the Global Entry credit & an extra lounge entry for some trips we took this summer.

[matrix12]

I added my kids (ages 13 and 16) as AU on my AMEX gold and set up low spending alerts for both of them so I can keep tabs.  They only get the cards when they are going to movies, lunch, etc. with friends and have to turn them in as soon as they get home.  They have been very responsible in the past (they even ask if they can spend $0.99 to download a song from iTunes), so I decided to trust them with a card.

There were a few reasons I set them up:

 1) It is a convenience for me since I typically don't carry much cash and I can keep track of what they are spending and more importantly where. 

2) AMEX lists each AU charges separately on the statement.  Each month, I sit down with them and review their charges to show them how quickly spending can add up over the course of a month.  I want to demonstrate to them how it can be easy to lose track of spending when it is not cash coming out of a bank account.  Hopefully, this will help to establish some fiscal responsibility with them. 

3) As previously mentioned, it will help them establish a good history to give them a little head start when they turn 18.

4) AMEX offered me 5,000 bonus MR points for each AU I set up (after they spent $500 in 3 months).  I'd like to say I came up with the idea on my own, but honestly, I would not have even thought of the above reasons if AMEX hadn't teased me with the bonus points. 

[jdbkiang]

There are really no downsides to doing this either. Any mistakes the primary cardholders make can be neutralized by simply removing the AU's. Regardless, unless it's Amex, most other companies will backdate the history, so adding them at the age of 5 vs 15 doesn't make much of a difference. The ability to set AU limits is very convenient and a good way to teach kids about money as well. Additionally, you also don't have to give them the card anyway, so that limits risk too, if you have a very generous child...

[josh1]

I was added as an authorized user on my parents CapOne QS, and I know they have a minimum age (14 maybe?).  Really you need to base it off your opinion.  If you believe they are mature enough and understand money, I would say it is safe.  Just make sure you talk it through with them and make them understand it isn't just free money.  Make sure you check your balance every once and a while, which I mean I always suggest anyways, and if they do something bad you can take the card away.

My parents allowed unlimited spending on my card, but I had to pay back anything that was for me (so they would pay for food etc) with that being said though I have always been very careful with money.  So I recommend giving it to them when you believe they can handle it, talk it through with them, monitor your account, make them pay if they purchase something they shouldn't have, and if they abuse it just take it away and put it in the sock drawer.

[msm859]

I added my granddaughter when she was 9 years old.  Chase Ritz Carlton card had a deal extra 10,000 points for adding an authorized user.  I keep the card except when we travel then I give it to her.  What is amazing is no one asks her for any id.  One lady did ask her if it was hers and she said yes and then rang it up.  

[Anonymous]

That's one issue that can arise, as most kids that young do not haev ID. But most places don't even bother to ask anymore anyways.

[imaximous]

I've added my kids to my BofA cards. Not because it's going to help them anytime soon, but because of the Museum benefit. For those who care and didn't know, every first weekend of the month, BofA offers "Museums on Us." There's a list of places you can visit and not pay if you're a BofA customer. In my area (NY and NJ), there are a bunch of participating museums and it saves me a bunch of money.