Authorized user

[Anonymous]

I am an authorized user on someone else's acct. they pay on time but I don't use the card. Is the balance on this acct. hurting my score?  Can/should I have myself removed as an AU?

[Donks3369]

Joel,

As an AU, their card may be hurting your or helping you.  Do you know what the balance is compared to the credit limit?  Do you know when the card was opened?

[Anonymous]

I am not sure of the balance. Are you saying this is basically treated as "me"...as if it were my card/balance and limit?

[haulingthescoreup]

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joel95ex wrote:
I am not sure of the balance. Are you saying this is basically treated as "me"...as if it were my card/balance and limit?

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Yep. Whatever happens on that card --good, bad, or indifferent --is factored into your own credit scores.

[beachdude]

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@haulingthescoreup wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
I am not sure of the balance. Are you saying this is basically treated as "me"...as if it were my card/balance and limit?

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Yep. Whatever happens on that card --good, bad, or indifferent --is factored into your own credit scores.

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With that being said, would it be wise to be added as an authorized user to a couple of cards (rather than applying yourself and taking the few credit point hit)?  Or does being an AU not weigh as heavily as a card solely in your own name? 

[pizzadude]

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@beachdude wrote:

 

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With that being said, would it be wise to be added as an authorized user to a couple of cards (rather than applying yourself and taking the few credit point hit)?  Or does being an AU not weigh as heavily as a card solely in your own name? 

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AU cards are viewed by FICO scoring as if they are your accounts, good, bad, or ugly.    They will factor into your AAoA, utilization and payment history just like they were your cards.

[beachdude]

Thank you.   I can see the negatives and positives of this scenario.

[Anonymous]

It's really positive if you can trust that person with your credit score/report/life.

My DGF wanted to add me to her Discover as a AU so I could benefit from her AAOA, but you never know what could happen (credit, loss of job, loss of DGF) and I decided I'd apply for my own instead so it shows up just under my name and I can have 100% control of the situation, even if it hurts my AAOA.

[llecs]

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@Anonymous wrote:

....I can have 100% control of the situation, even if it hurts my AAOA.

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That's how I felt when we began our credit journey. I'd rather be the captain of my rowboat than the first mate on someone else's ship. I didn't want my scores artifically raised of the credit of others.

[crunching_numbers]

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@Anonymous wrote:

It's really positive if you can trust that person with your credit score/report/life.

My DGF wanted to add me to her Discover as a AU so I could benefit from her AAOA, but you never know what could happen (credit, loss of job, loss of DGF) and I decided I'd apply for my own instead so it shows up just under my name and I can have 100% control of the situation, even if it hurts my AAOA.

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Good move FrugalRican! Better to build your own. Crunchy is behind you on that one!