The Master Minimum Age for Authorized Users Thread

[BobWang]

Issuer Age

 

American Express 15

Arkansas National Bank 18

Bank of America 1

Barclays 11

Best Buy 1
Capital One 1
Chase 9
Citi < 1

Comenity 11
Discover 1
First Command Bank 16
GECRB 2
HSBC 9
JP Morgan 9
Macy's 7
Navy Federal CU 12
PenFed 15
Pulaski Bank & Trust 18
Target 15

USAA 14
Victoria's Secret 12

[PokerPop3]

Barclay let me add me 9 year old. It never asked for an age so you could probobly do any age

[BobWang]

Issuer Age

 

American Express 15

Arkansas National Bank 18

Bank of America 01

Barclays 09

Best Buy 01
Capital One 01
Chase 09
Citi < 01

Comenity 11
Discover 01
First Command Bank 16
GECRB 02
HSBC 09
JP Morgan 09
Macy's 07
Navy Federal CU 12
PenFed 15
Pulaski Bank & Trust 18
Target 15

USAA 14
Victoria's Secret 12

[ubercat]

I love you guys for this. So do my twin boys! Thanks again!

[tammylj]

I never would have even thought about doing this. My 3.5 year old has some AU accounts in his near future! Thanks!

[loops77]

Does it matter what age for credit building? Adding your 18 year old to a 10 year old card amounts to the same thing.

[tammylj]

Does it matter what age for credit building? Adding your 18 year old to a 10 year old card amounts to the same thing.

 

I believe positive trade lines will continue to report for 10 years after the last activity, so even if you close accounts a few years from now, it could potentially help them even if they are closed. I had a closed account from 1994 continue to report until 2010, so it will still be on my report until 2020 even though it was closed in 1994.

[shifter]

even if you close accounts a few years from now

but you would never,

 

ever,

 

ever,

 

do such a thing.

[shifter]

Does it matter what age for credit building? Adding your 18 year old to a 10 year old card amounts to the same thing.

not with most AU accounts.

 

they'll get the full history 10 years from now.

 

however, getting them in with an Amex AU right at 15

 

has a huge benefit esp with *D seemingly D*OA.

[tammylj]

 

even if you close accounts a few years from now

but you would never,ever,ever,do such a thing.

Ya never know. Things can change a lot in 15 years.

[shifter]

insanity never changes.

[tammylj]

Lol, true. I think I will wait for 11.5 years before adding my 3.5 year old as a AU.

Edited September 21, 2014 by tammylj

[MommaE]

Does myFICO allow a pull for a child to see if the accounts are reporting and a score has generated? Or would that set off some alarms?

[shifter]

don't waste your money with MF

 

until you use a free service to know for sure

 

that accounts are reporting.

[MommaE]

don't waste your money with MF

 

until you use a free service to know for sure

 

that accounts are reporting.

 

Thank you.

 

I located the master thread:

http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=503948

[raziug]

*BUMP*

 

Just added my 7 & 9 yr old to my BOA CC. This way we can all get into the muesum for free. I'm a cheap blue shirt

[BobWang]

Issuer Age

 

American Express 15

Arkansas National Bank 18

Bank of America 01

Barclays 09

Best Buy 01
Capital One 01
Chase 09
Citi < 01

Comenity 11
Discover 01
First Command Bank 16
GECRB 02
HSBC 09
JP Morgan 09
Macy's 07
Navy Federal CU 12
PenFed 15
Pulaski Bank & Trust 18
Target 15

USAA 14
Victoria's Secret 12

 

[GonnaGetEm]

My daughter is 12 now.. she was 7 when I put her on my Discover Escape, BBRZ, Victoria's Secret.. let me go see what else, hang on.

[GonnaGetEm]

My daughter is 12 now.. she was 7 when I put her on my Discover Escape, BBRZ, Victoria's Secret.. let me go see what else, hang on.

 

+Sunoco, DH's Buckle, DH's Capital One Platinum.. might be more but I don't have physical cards for others so will have to check.

[BobWang]

Issuer Age

 

American Express 15

Arkansas National Bank 18

Bank of America 01

Barclays 09

Best Buy 01

Buckle 07
Capital One 01
Chase 09
Citi < 01

Comenity 11
Discover 01
First Command Bank 16
GECRB 02
HSBC 09
JP Morgan 09
Macy's 07
Navy Federal CU 12
PenFed 15
Pulaski Bank & Trust 18

Sunoco 07
Target 15

USAA 14
Victoria's Secret 07

 

[Cappy]

Btw, what's the difference if you add your child now or in 15 years to an AU if you have that card for the same duration anyways.

[GonnaGetEm]

To be specific, Buckle is a Comenity-backed card (which was GEMB before it was Comenity) so the age of 07 applies for all of those IMO, but it's your list.

 

Sunoco is Citi-backed so perhaps 07 counts for Citi as well but again, your call.

 

Victoria's Secret is also Comenity (forerly GEMB) - not sure how you want to address those overlaps.

[GonnaGetEm]

I am filling out an app on USAA's site right now (not gonna submit it though) and they're asking me who to add as an authorized user and they're offering to allow all of my children/each of my children. When clickign for more details it just says AUs must have SSNs and DOBs and verified information in your online account center, but doesn't mention an age limit. not sure if you want to infer anything from that, but they are offering to allow someone who is 12 to get a card by presenting this option to me, FWIW.

Edited February 10, 2015 by GonnaGetEm

[BobWang]

Issuer Age

 

American Express 15

Arkansas National Bank 18

Bank of America 01

Barclays 13

Best Buy 01

Buckle (Comenity) 07
Capital One 01
Chase 09
Citi < 01

Comenity 07
Discover 01
First Command Bank 16
GECRB 02
HSBC 09
JP Morgan 09
Macy's 07
Navy Federal CU 12
PenFed 15
Pulaski Bank & Trust 18

Sunoco (Citi) 07

Synchrony 02
Target 15

USAA 12
Victoria's Secret (Comenity) 07

[nateinva]

Bump...

 

I have my son, currently 11, as an AU on my Barclay Sallie Mae card.

 

When logging into my Barclay account this morning it was asking me to verify/update information for my AUs. When attempting to update his information I got the following message:

 

 

 

I'm not sure if this is a recent change but I'm placing it here for anyone else reading. FWIW I was able to 'skip' past this screen and continue to my accounts. This may only impact anyone adding a new AU in the future and the last thread update indicated 9 years old for Barclay.

 

Bob - we need you to come back and update the thread!

 

updated

Edited March 6, 2017 by breeze
updated data