The Master Minimum Age for Authorized Users Thread

[BobWang]

http://www.consumer-...survey#Topic_08

Some card issuers have a minimum age for authorized users, while others have no age limit. This year Consumer Action added a new question to its survey in order to determine bank policies for authorized users. The answers revealed that 75% of surveyed issuers had no minimum age requirement for authorized users.

 

American Express will not issue authorized cards to young people until they reach age 15; First Command Bank's minimum age is 16, and Arkansas National Bank, GE Money Bank and Pulaski Bank & Trust require authorized users to be at least 18.

[Analysis]

At Macy's credit, we have AU's. If someone calls and asks to add someone as an AU, we do not even ask the age of the person being added as an AU. There is a miniumum age, but we are not required to ask, nor are we required to get any form of ID or documentation. If the last name of the AU is different than that of the primary account holder, we are required to ask a series of verification questions of the primary.

 

With that said, we remind people that the addition of another person on the account as an AU does not change the financial responsibility for the account. If they want to give a card to

 

ALL of this is different for our JOINT ACCOUNT holders. Nothing said above applies to our joint account policies.

 

We have some 12 million AMEX accounts, but we do not use AMEX's credit granting policies for those accounts, only their merchant network.

[BobWang]

At Macy's credit, we have AU's. If someone calls and asks to add someone as an AU, we do not even ask the age of the person being added as an AU. There is a miniumum age, but we are not required to ask, nor are we required to get any form of ID or documentation. If the last name of the AU is different than that of the primary account holder, we are required to ask a series of verification questions of the primary.

 

With that said, we remind people that the addition of another person on the account as an AU does not change the financial responsibility for the account. If they want to give a card to

 

ALL of this is different for our JOINT ACCOUNT holders. Nothing said above applies to our joint account policies.

 

We have some 12 million AMEX accounts, but we do not use AMEX's credit granting policies for those accounts, only their merchant network.

My, my, REALLY a baby AmEx.

[Analysis]

My, my, REALLY a baby AmEx.

 

Underwritten by CITICORP, which adds another dimension to our credit granting.

[jason86423]

I added my son as an AU to my BBRZ MC at 13, Citi backed Sunoco Card at 13 and Capital One at 13.

 

Amex did make me wait until he was 15 to add him to that. Sad part is, his "insurance' score is higher than mine.. Glad the AU's did him some good. I almost thought about asking my parents to add him to their sears card as an AU which would give him a 26 yr old credit history at 16...lol

 

 

 

 

[

[LuvingMomof5boys]

about 20 or so years ago when I was a teen a few of my friends all 15-17 were authorized users on their parents cards- amex, citi, BOA, every store card imaginable... one of my bff's had a ccard wallet- on top of her normal one because she had so much plastic. I however never got the luxury my momma was poor lol

Edited October 18, 2011 by LuvingMomof5boys

[gabbyraja]

I recently added my 9 yr old son to dh's Discover Motiva card. They didn't ask anything but his name. Don't know if it's reporting, as I've never tried to pull his credit...

[MelodyT]

I added my sister-in-law -- who we care for -- to my PayPal Extra Mastercard and she is 16.

[BobWang]

Hmm i just tried this . They never ask for any info regarding age or ssn . I added my 7 yr old

So, Citi will add 7 year-olds.

[BobWang]

Just added my DD (12) and DS (14) as an AU to my NFCU credit card.

 

They just need social and date of birth, plus NFCU reports AUs to the Credit Bureaus.

 

Who knows how low they will go? Someone out there with a toddler or a newborn?

[altod]

I am 15 and i am an au on all my parents cards which is a lot, the only people that made me wait were amex. Althoug, my parents added me as an au on there amex cards the day i turned 15.

[BobWang]

I am 15 and i am an au on all my parents cards which is a lot, the only people that made me wait were amex. Althoug, my parents added me as an au on there amex cards the day i turned 15.

Nice, do you know what your real FICO scores are?

[Menta33]

Just added my DD (12) and DS (14) as an AU to my NFCU credit card.

 

They just need social and date of birth, plus NFCU reports AUs to the Credit Bureaus.

 

Who knows how low they will go? Someone out there with a toddler or a newborn?

[Analysis]

One of the many things I've always loved about this " Credit Reporting " system we have is that a wise and patient parent can give a " gift " of three 750 plus scores to their 16 year old child.

 

1. 
    
   
2. SSN's are obtainable at a very early age
   
3. Names are given at an early age
   
4. Last names of children are typically the same as their parents
   
5. Credit Accounts are tied to name and SSN's, both obtainable at an early age
   
6. Creditors do not now, and have rarely ever, asked for proof of the age of the child
   
7. Most FICO scoring models now, and in the past, have credited AU's with full history of an AU account
   
8. Parents (mother for a daughter, father for a son) can call in to verify information to set up new accounts
   

 

What a gift!

[altod]

Because for some reason my credit reports indicate that i am 20 i was able to order my fico from equifax (it is the actual fico not plus score) and at my fico, they are eq 788 and tu is 794. I have since corrected the age on my reports and cant order any more. Also the above poster said that ge money requires you to be 18, i am an au on my parents platinum tj maxx mastercard(gecrb) and banana republic luxe visa they didint even ask my age.

I am 15 and i am an au on all my parents cards which is a lot, the only people that made me wait were amex. Althoug, my parents added me as an au on there amex cards the day i turned 15.

Nice, do you know what your real FICO scores are?

[BobWang]

Because for some reason my credit reports indicate that i am 20 i was able to order my fico from equifax (it is the actual fico not plus score) and at my fico, they are eq 788 and tu is 794. I have since corrected the age on my reports and cant order any more. Also the above poster said that ge money requires you to be 18, i am an au on my parents platinum tj maxx mastercard(gecrb) and banana republic luxe visa they didint even ask my age.

Heh, heh, you'll easily be at 800 when you get your own card.

[cranston3]

BofA for DD at 12, SSN and DOB required.

[BobWang]

AmEx = 15

Arkansas National = 18

BofA = 12

Best Buy = 13

CapOne = 13

Citi = 7

Discover = 9

First Command = 16

GE Money = 18

Macy's = ?

NFCU = 12

Pulaski B&T = 18

[Analysis]

AmEx = 15

Arkansas National = 18

BofA = 12

Best Buy = 13

CapOne = 13

Citi = 7

Discover = 9

First Command = 16

GE Money = 18

Macy's = ?

NFCU = 12

Pulaski B&T = 18

 

 

I think the real answer is age 1 for all of the above! A vital question we did not ask: does one need to provide any form of proof of the AU's age?

[BobWang]

AmEx = 15

Arkansas National = 18

BofA = 12

Best Buy = 13

CapOne = 13

Citi = 7

Discover = 9

First Command = 16

GE Money = 18

Macy's = ?

NFCU = 12

Pulaski B&T = 18

 

 

I think the real answer is age 1 for all of the above! A vital question we did not ask: does one need to provide any form of proof of the AU's age?

I'm just going by CB personal experiences.

[BobWang]

AmEx = 15

Arkansas National = 18

BofA = 12

Best Buy = 13

CapOne = 13

Citi = 7

Discover = 9

First Command = 16

GE Money = 16

Macy's = ?

NFCU = 12

Pulaski B&T = 18

[distantarray]

Because for some reason my credit reports indicate that i am 20 i was able to order my fico from equifax (it is the actual fico not plus score) and at my fico, they are eq 788 and tu is 794. I have since corrected the age on my reports and cant order any more. Also the above poster said that ge money requires you to be 18, i am an au on my parents platinum tj maxx mastercard(gecrb) and banana republic luxe visa they didint even ask my age.

I am 15 and i am an au on all my parents cards which is a lot, the only people that made me wait were amex. Althoug, my parents added me as an au on there amex cards the day i turned 15.

Nice, do you know what your real FICO scores are?

 

as a 15 year old you were already paying to see your real fico score? also at 15 years old and no line of credit that's not an AU account, why in the world would you be in a credit repair forum?

Edited October 19, 2011 by distantarray

[wanabe]

Because for some reason my credit reports indicate that i am 20 i was able to order my fico from equifax (it is the actual fico not plus score) and at my fico, they are eq 788 and tu is 794. I have since corrected the age on my reports and cant order any more. Also the above poster said that ge money requires you to be 18, i am an au on my parents platinum tj maxx mastercard(gecrb) and banana republic luxe visa they didint even ask my age.

I am 15 and i am an au on all my parents cards which is a lot, the only people that made me wait were amex. Althoug, my parents added me as an au on there amex cards the day i turned 15.

Nice, do you know what your real FICO scores are?

 

as a 15 year old you were already paying to see your real fico score? also at 15 years old and no line of credit that's not an AU account, why in the world would you be in a credit repair forum?

 

I think that is great to learn early! I wish I could get my 15 year old

DD to listen about credit let alone come to CB and really read and learn.

I will be adding her on 4 of my CC since she turned 15. Penfed, Discover

JCPenny and Chase. My DS I added at 15 to BOA, Target Visa, Chase/WamuFreedom. I wish I had added them to AMEX before I closed it.

[BobWang]

AmEx = 15

Arkansas National = 18

BofA = 12

Best Buy = 13

CapOne = 13

Chase = 15

Citi = 7

Discover = 9

First Command = 16

GE Money = 16

Macy's = ?

NFCU = 12

Pulaski B&T = 18

Target = 15

[TheBanker]

Because for some reason my credit reports indicate that i am 20 i was able to order my fico from equifax (it is the actual fico not plus score) and at my fico, they are eq 788 and tu is 794. I have since corrected the age on my reports and cant order any more. Also the above poster said that ge money requires you to be 18, i am an au on my parents platinum tj maxx mastercard(gecrb) and banana republic luxe visa they didint even ask my age.

I am 15 and i am an au on all my parents cards which is a lot, the only people that made me wait were amex. Althoug, my parents added me as an au on there amex cards the day i turned 15.

Nice, do you know what your real FICO scores are?

 

as a 15 year old you were already paying to see your real fico score? also at 15 years old and no line of credit that's not an AU account, why in the world would you be in a credit repair forum?

 

Hey, CB isn't necessarily a credit repair forum.

 

I've been lurking here since the early-mid 2000s when I was a teen, and finally joined when I was on the cusp of getting my own cards, because of all the advice here for new cards, etc. I've wanted credit cards since the age of 4 (that's when I asked my mom if I could have my own American Express card - yes, I really am that much of a credit whore), and this site provided lots of knowledge to those who were new to the credit world, such as myself.

 

CB has many more uses than just a credit repair forum.

Edited October 19, 2011 by TheBanker