Can an 18 year old high school student get a credit card?

One of the best credit cards for 18-year-olds is the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card because it rewards cardholders with up to 1.5% cash back on purchases. The card also has a $0 annual fee and is intended for beginners with limited. There’s no security deposit required to open the account, either.

Best Credit Cards for 18-Year-Olds... read full answer

As you can see, the best card depends a lot on your financial situation and spending habits. For example, the best credit card for 18-year-old students is the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students. This card comes with a $0 annual fee and a high rewards rate. A student’s age and earning potential are an attractive prospect for credit card issuers, so they’re willing to extend offers not readily available to non-students.

In addition, some of the other best credit cards for 18-year-olds are secured credit cards, which offer the easiest approval. They require a security deposit, typically around $200 or $300. The security deposit sets the credit limit and serves as collateral for the lender. It’s fully refundable after closing the account in good standing. The Capital One Platinum Secured is one of the best secured credit cards for 18-year-olds.

Best Ways for 18-Year-Olds to Access Credit

Keep in mind that the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 places limits on credit cards for 18-year-olds. Under the law, consumers younger than 21 years old must have either a co-signer or proof of a steady income to be a credit card’s primary accountholder. If you can meet one of these two requirements, you’ll have a pool of cards to choose from that will help you establish credit.

Another option is to become an authorized user on someone else’s credit card. You can become an authorized user on any type of credit card, and you’ll enjoy any benefits the card offers while you establish your credit. The primary cardholder is financially responsible for the account, and his or her card activity will also be reflected on your credit report. However, any negative information such as late or missed payments will cause a drop in both of your credit scores.

There are several credit cards you can get if you are a high school student, and you are at least 18 years old. But until you are 21 years old, you need to either have a proof of steady income that demonstrates your ability to pay back the debt, or have a co-signer who is at least 21 years old on the application. For the latter, the co-signer agrees to assume responsibility for your account, meaning they’re liable for any of your unpaid debt.... read full answer

These requirements are mandated under the Credit Card Act. Its intent is to prevent teenagers and young adults from running up credit card debts they can’t pay back. So, if you’re under 21 and have the income or a co-signer, you have a number of credit card options to help you begin building credit.

Here are some good high school credit cards:

The Capital One QuicksilverOne card offers 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. The card has a $39 annual fee.

The Capital One SavorOne Student Card card offers 1 - 5% cash back, depending on the type of purchase. It has a $0 annual fee.

With the Capital One Platinum Credit Card, you are eligible for increased credit limit when you pay your bill on time for the first 6 months. The card has a $0 annual fee.

Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a secured credit card, so a minimum $200 deposit is required. The card’s annual fee is $0.

As student credit cards are limited to those enrolled in college, you can choose a traditional credit card designed for people with limited credit. An alternative would be a secured credit card. They’re easier to get than unsecured credit cards, and typically don’t come with any fees. But you will have to put down a security deposit to open the account. The amount of the deposit determines your credit limit and is fully refundable when you close the account in good standing.

Ultimately, if you still don’t have an income or a co-signer, you can sign on to another person’s existing credit card account as an authorized user. You’ll receive a card with your name that’s linked to the primary cardholder. You’ll be able to use the primary cardholder’s good credit history to help build your own. The drawback is, if the primary cardholder’s credit score takes a dive, yours will also take a negative hit.

The best way to build credit at 18 is to get a credit card in your name and use it responsibly. All major credit cards report account information to the credit bureaus each month, allowing you to build credit history. As long as the information shows on-time payments and reasonable ... read full answercredit utilization, that credit history will be positive and you’ll be on your way to building a good credit score.

There are two ways to get a credit card at 18: as an authorized user or by applying for your own account. If you have enough independent income to afford monthly bill payments, you can get your own credit card account when you turn 18. The best type of credit card to get at 18 is a student credit card, assuming you’re in college. Credit cards for students tend to have better rewards as well as lower rates and fees than other starter credit cards for people with no credit.

How to Build Credit at 18 Years Old

1. Become an authorized user on a family member’s credit card.
2. Apply for a starter credit card.
3. Set up automatic payments from a bank account for your starter card.
4. Make sure your card’s monthly statement balance is much lower than the credit limit.
5. Work toward a high-paying job.
6. Save as much as possible and minimize debt.
7. Monitor your credit and make adjustments when needed.

Other Ways to Build Credit at 18

Using a credit card isn’t the only way to build credit at 18. There are several alternatives worth at least considering.

Credit-builder loan

A credit-builder loan is essentially a loan that holds the borrowed money in a bank account while you make payments. This allows you to build credit easily, and doesn’t require a good credit score. Once you’ve made all of the payments, the money is released to you. Credit builder loans are typically small (think around $1,000) and have short repayment times, usually just a year, so their sole intent is to help you build your credit.

Car loan

Financing a car using an auto loan can also help you build credit. Just like with any other loan, payments you make are reported to the credit bureaus. Getting an auto loan can also help your credit because a portion of your score is determined by your “credit mix,” and having an installment loan adds variety once you have a credit card.

Rental payments

You can arrange to have apartment rental payments reported to the credit bureaus. Some landlords report monthly rental payments to the credit bureaus automatically, but not all do. If your landlord doesn’t, you can still have your rental payments reported through a third-party service. Some of the top ones are RentTrack and eRentPayment. Paying rent is something you’d have to do each month anyway, so you might as well use it to build your credit, too.

Final Thoughts

Getting a starter credit card and/or becoming an authorized user on a family member’s or friend’s account is the best approach to building credit at 18 years old. Just remember that having your own account requires more responsibility, as you’ll be the one who has to pay the bills. If you don’t, your credit score will suffer. When you’re an authorized user, bill payments are the primary accountholder’s responsibility. Because of that, authorized users can file a dispute with the credit bureaus to get negative information removed from their credit reports.

You can keep track of what’s on your TransUnion credit report and check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub. You’ll get personalized tips for how to build credit most efficiently, too.