authorized user credit profile

[nycguy567]

i have excellent credit. if i add another authorized user to all my credit cards (all the major companies), how would it impact that user's credit score, assuming she has no credit profile at all?

do the credit bureaus break down who spends what?

[boosami]

If you add an authorized user to your card, their credit report will display the account no different than if they were the account holder. A breakdown in spending is not shown, just the total balances and limits.

If the authorized user has little or no credit history, doing this with a tradeline that continues to be paid on time will boost the user's FICO score due to the credit history becoming a part of her report. However, accounts that are maxed out, have high balances, or are being paid late or not at all will harm the authorized user's credit just like they are harming the primary account holder.

Keep in mind the authorized user will be able to spend on your accounts and you will be held liable if they don't pay up! Never do this except with someone you trust. It's like co-signing a loan--it can cause problems quickly if either party is irresponsible.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Boosami, I thought that authorized users no longer received the credit impact of the card originally taken in the other person's name. I was thinking that change was made about two years ago. About tw years ago, my college son slid just under the wire, piggy-backing on my good credit by having been an authorized user for a couple years before he applied for his own card. He was approved for a card not offered specifically to students and it had an initial limit of 8k? 9K? 10K? I forget exactly, but it was fairly high for a first card. I think if he were just applying for his first card today he would no longer benefit from having been an authorized user of my card and would be offered a lower amount of credit.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Answering myself---

Looks like piggybacking for enhanced credit still exists.

FICO 08 Piggybacking Credit Score Elimination Deemed a Propaganda Scare

[boosami]

Answering myself---

Looks like piggybacking for enhanced credit still exists.

FICO 08 Piggybacking Credit Score Elimination Deemed a Propaganda Scare

Yep, FICO intended to change it a couple years ago, but never actually did it.

[nycguy567]

well, this is great news for me and her. i'm just gonna add the authorized user to all my accounts without giving her the actual credit card.

[nycguy567]

she, as in my fiance. all my credit cards are autopaid by my bank account as i've set it up that way.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Well now, that is interesting, nycguy. You are willing to help her boost her credit but not ready to be responsible for what she might do with the card. But if you are going to marry, it will benefit you as well if she has a good credit rating.

My having given my kid a CC was not to help him get a credit record established, but to enable him to do thing like putting gas in the car when he was driving it, and buying jeans without my having to be there ---all while I would still get the cash rewards on the purchases.