Can I add my child to my credit card?
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 4:54 p.m. UTC June 6, 2024
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While a minor cannot legally get their own credit card until they hit 18 and show proof of a steady source of income, adding your child to your card as an authorized user can help them start building a credit history and credit score so they won’t be starting from zero once they hit that coming-of-age mark.
While some card issuers have age restrictions on how old a minor must be before they can be added as an authorized user, others allow authorized users of any age.
In addition to building credit, learning early on how credit cards work and what pitfalls to avoid can give your child a leg up on managing money in the future.
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Can I add my child to my credit card?
You can add a child under the age of 18 to a credit card as an authorized user as long as the child meets any age restrictions set by the issuer. If your child is 18, then the field is wide open for adding them to your card.
Here’s a breakdown of the top credit card issuers’ age requirements for authorized users:
| CREDIT CARD ISSUER | MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR AUTHORIZED USERS |
|---|---|
American Express
| 13 years old
|
Bank of America
| No minimum age requirement
|
Barclays
| 13 years old
|
Capital One
| No minimum age requirement
|
Chase
| No minimum age requirement
|
Citibank
| No minimum age requirement
|
Discover
| 15 years old
|
U.S. Bank
| 13 years old
|
Wells Fargo
| No minimum age requirement
|
There is typically no charge for adding an authorized user to your card, although some luxury credit cards with high annual fees may assess a separate annual fee for each authorized user. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges a $550 annual fee plus an extra $75 a year for each authorized user.
What is an authorized user on a credit card?
An authorized user is an additional cardholder added to a primary credit card account. Authorized users are issued their own card, allowing them to make purchases and, in some cases, access other benefits on the card.
Here are some key points to know before adding your child as an authorized user:
- Usage restrictions. Some issuers allow parents to set spending limits on authorized user cards. Issuers may also offer features that allow the primary cardholder to restrict certain types of purchases for authorized users.
- Shared credit limit. Any purchases made by the authorized user will contribute to the overall balance on the primary card and will be included in the primary cardholder’s monthly statement.
- Limited responsibility. Ultimately any charges made with an authorized user card are the sole responsibility of the primary cardholder. Any payment arrangements for authorized user charges should be negotiated between the parent and child.
- Credit history impact. Late payments could harm an authorized user’s credit (as well as that of the primary cardholder). If you run into financial difficulties and cannot pay your bills on time, consider removing the authorized user from your card to protect their future credit.
“A parent should not risk their own credit rating or financial stability just to help a child develop a good credit rating,” said Michael F. Sullivan, Ed.D., personal finance consultant for Take Charge America, a member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA).
Not setting clear card usage and repayment expectations with your child upfront can result in runaway charges. If you feel your child is not ready for their own card or has abused their charging privileges, you can either remove them as an authorized user or take the card away. Know that you can always choose to keep your child as an authorized user on your card but not give them the actual card in this scenario.
How to add your child as an authorized user
Adding your child as an authorized user on one of your credit cards is easy. Just call the number on the back of the card and request to add an authorized user. You may also be able to add an authorized user online.
While issuer requirements vary, information you’ll typically have to provide includes your child’s:
- Full legal name.
- Date of birth.
- Social Security Number.
- Contact information including phone number and mailing address.
- Citizenship.
- Email address.
- Relationship to the primary account holder.
Some other factors to consider when deciding which card to add your child to as an authorized user include:
- Pick a card you’ve held a long time. Once the account starts reporting the authorized user status to the big three credit bureaus, this can have a positive impact on your child’s credit score.
- Don’t add your child to a card that has a history of late payments or a high balance as those two factors could have a negative impact on your child’s credit.
Benefits of having an authorized user
In addition to helping a child build their credit early through authorized user status, there are other benefits to adding your child to your credit card.
First and foremost, you’ll have the opportunity to teach your child how credit cards work, potentially saving them from making expensive mistakes once they’re old enough to get their own card.
Next, once the account begins to show up on their credit reports, they’ll be ahead of the credit game once they’re out of high school or college and earning their own money. Having good credit can help your child qualify for future student loans on their own without a cosigner, as well as helping them secure an apartment lease or better terms for a car loan.
Plus, having a card can help a child in an emergency if they need funds while traveling with a school group or friends — or, if they are old enough to drive, to help pay for gas or car repairs away from home.
“If your credit is stellar, and you have reason to believe it will remain so, there are other reasons to add them besides getting a jump start on a credit history. For example, I added my 15-year-old daughter to my credit card when we traveled overseas, as I wanted the security of knowing she’d have access to funds if we got separated on our trip,” said Karen Carlson, vice president of education and digital Marketing for InCharge Debt Solutions, a member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA).
Finally, if your family has financial or travel goals that can be achieved through earning points, miles or cash back through a rewards card — having an authorized user on the account can help multiply those rewards. If you’re looking for a new card to apply for and then add an authorized user to, check out our list of best credit cards.
Watch out for these downfalls
If you decide to add your child as an authorized user and give them a physical card, it’s important to set clear guidelines on when and where they can use the card. Some issuers allow the primary cardholder to set a cap on how much can be spent each month on the authorized user card, or allow the primary cardholder to restrict certain types of purchases.
Some parameters you may want to set up with your child before handing them a card could include:
- Require them to ask permission before using the card.
- Set clear guidelines on what the card can be used for and what it can’t be used for.
- Establish what constitutes a true emergency for using the card.
- Don’t allow the child to carry the card around at all times so you can prevent card theft, loss or impulse spending.
- Establish consequences for card abuse, such as taking the card and other privileges away.
- Create chores or reduce an allowance for repayment of purchases.
How to teach your child about credit
The earlier you help your child achieve financial literacy, the better. By doing so, you can help them avoid costly financial mistakes down the road. When kids are very young, you may choose to teach them about money, including how it’s earned and how it’s spent.
As your children get a little bit older, you can begin to teach the basics of credit cards. You’ll need to explain that you are borrowing money with a credit card, how interest works, what happens if you don’t repay what you borrow and how responsible credit card usage helps your credit history and credit score.
Some other important things to discuss could include:
- What a credit bureau is and what kind of information is reported to the three major bureaus.
- What a credit report is and how certain financial behaviors can hurt or help your credit report.
- What a credit score is, how it is calculated and its role in future borrowing.
- Which financial behaviors hurt or help your credit score.
- The importance of paying your bills on time and not spending money you don’t have.
- What a credit card billing statement looks like and what information it contains — including credit limits, APR, minimum payments, and due dates.
- How to access your card account online, find answers to questions on your online dashboard and set automatic payments to make sure the bill is always paid on time.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Yes, adding your child as an authorized user to one of your longest-held credit cards that is managed responsibly (keeping a low balance and always making payments on time) can help build their credit faster than if they were to wait until they can qualify for a card of their own. Due to CARD Act requirements, a minor cannot open their own credit card until the age of 21 unless they are able to show an independent income source. Since most issuers begin reporting authorized user accounts to the credit bureaus once the minor turns 18 (or earlier, depending on the issuer) — you’ll be giving your child a head start to building credit.
Card issuer policies vary when it comes to age restrictions for adding authorized users. For example, American Express requires the authorized user to be 13 years old, whereas Chase and Capital One allow authorized users of any age. However, keep in mind that even though there may not be an age restriction, some issuers don’t report an authorized user account to the credit bureaus until the child turns 18.
Adding a child as an authorized user won’t negatively impact your credit unless the authorized user abuses their card privileges by overspending, which may inflate your balance and make it more difficult to pay off. The primary cardholder is ultimately responsible for payment.
One of the best ways to build a child’s credit is to add them as an authorized user to a credit card you’ve had for a long time that is free of late payments and isn’t maxed out (all positive factors for building a solid credit history and score). Some issuers may report the authorized user card to the credit bureaus in your child’s name before they turn 18, but some won’t report the account until the child reaches that milestone birthday. You’ll want to contact your card issuer to ask about its authorized user policies.
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