Last time he checked (although it's been a while) DF had scores in the high 600's. Overall his credit is (or at least was) pretty good, but his utilization is pretty terrible. On top of 20k+ in school loans his CCs look something like:
2k on a 3k limit (3 years old)
2k on a 3k limit and (10 years old)
3k on a 4k limit (3 years old)
Most of his other debts are older since they're school loans as well, probably around the 6+ year mark.
Would adding him to my brand new SW card with a 3k limit (I plan run everything I can through it and PIF a couple times every month to rack up points and keep the balance at 0) help him more than the AAoA ding would?
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On the flip side, if he added me to his 10 year old Cap1 card which is at 2k on a 3k limit, would this help or hinder me with the following profile:
0 on a 200 limit (4 years old - closing next year)
0 on a 800 limit (4 years old - possibly closing next year)
0 on a 950 limit (3 years old)
0 on a 3k limit (brand new)
0 on a 500 limit (store card, brand new)
0 on a 500 limit (brand new)
My AAoA was around the 5 year mark as of March, BUT it's going to drop significantly because of the 3 new CCs that I opened in the last week or so (shame on me, I know, but I wanted to age some new ones now to replace the ones I plan to close) and because I have 5 baddies dropping off this year that are all turning 7 years old.
Thanks in advance for any input! If I need to provide more info, please let me know 
-Also, does anyone know if Chase or Cap1 charge additional annual fees for AU cards? I keep looking through my paperwork and can't find anything from Chase stating one way or the other. DF doesn't have his Cap1 paperwork anymore of course lol
@Anonymous wrote:Last time he checked (although it's been a while) DF had scores in the high 600's. Overall his credit is (or at least was) pretty good, but his utilization is pretty terrible. On top of 20k+ in school loans his CCs look something like:
2k on a 3k limit (3 years old)
2k on a 3k limit and (10 years old)
3k on a 4k limit (3 years old)
Most of his other debts are older since they're school loans as well, probably around the 6+ year mark.
Would adding him to my brand new SW card with a 3k limit (I plan run everything I can through it and PIF a couple times every month to rack up points and keep the balance at 0) help him more than the AAoA ding would?
-------------
On the flip side, if he added me to his 10 year old Cap1 card which is at 2k on a 3k limit, would this help or hinder me with the following profile:
0 on a 200 limit (4 years old - closing next year)
0 on a 800 limit (4 years old - possibly closing next year)
0 on a 950 limit (3 years old)
0 on a 3k limit (brand new)
0 on a 500 limit (store card, brand new)
0 on a 500 limit (brand new)
My AAoA was around the 5 year mark as of March, BUT it's going to drop significantly because of the 3 new CCs that I opened in the last week or so (shame on me, I know, but I wanted to age some new ones now to replace the ones I plan to close) and because I have 5 baddies dropping off this year that are all turning 7 years old.
Thanks in advance for any input! If I need to provide more info, please let me know
-Also, does anyone know if Chase or Cap1 charge additional annual fees for AU cards? I keep looking through my paperwork and can't find anything from Chase stating one way or the other. DF doesn't have his Cap1 paperwork anymore of course lol
No. The purpose of an AU is to help someone with a thin file with a long positive TL. The new card will do nothing to help, it would be like him getting his own card.
@Anonymous wrote:
@LS2982 wrote:No. The purpose of an AU is to help someone with a thin file with a long positive TL. The new card will do nothing to help, it would be like him getting his own card.
I thought that was just one possible purpose of an AU, and that another could be to help lower their utilization... Wouldn't an AU account factor into the AU's utilization and possibly be of benefit?
Yes it would, I misread the intention.
The only cards I know that charge an AF for an AU are from Amex (not all of them). There may be more but I definitely think they're Chase (depending on card) and Cap One.
Starting Score: 648Thanks everyone
Snow, how long ago did you do that (if you don't mind saying)? I've read a few threads about Chase reporting AU's some say they do, some say they don't... Some say they take up to two months to report... I guess Chase is a little iffy.
Thanks for the additional info Snow
Hey Snow, I talked with Chase (at least the part of Chase that's involved with the SW card) last night and the CSR was very helpful. He said that they offer two versions of AU accounts.
The first is just a plain AU, all you provide is their name and the address to ship the card to. This one may or may not report on the AU's CRs. He said it's pretty hit or miss, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. He said a lot of times it will report for same last name/same address, but even then not always.
The second is an AU with "joint liability". That guarantees that the account will report on the AU's CRs, but requires them to provide their social and sign some paperwork to acknowledge their liability for the account, BUT their credit isn't actually taken into account or reviewed and the CL/rates etc are still based soley off the primary users info.
I had the rep setup the regular AU and send the paperwork for joint liability so DF and I can talk it over. There's no obligation or return time frame for the paperwork so you can ask for it and send it in a year later if you're inclined to