How can I add a USAA authorized user?

Some credit card companies let you add an authorized user without providing that individual’s Social Security Number (SSN). You only need their name, birthday and address in some cases.

But requirements vary by credit card company, and not all of them will allow you to add an authorized user with no SSN. To give you a better sense of what is required to add an authorized user, we looked into some of the most popular issuers’ policies.… read full answer

Popular issuers' authorized user requirements:

• Capital One – Name, Birthday and Phone Number. An SSN is required to add an Account Manager (a type of authorized user with increased account access, including the ability to set up their login details to manage the account).
• Discover – SSN, Name, Birthday and Address
• Citibank – Name, Birthday, and Address
• Chase – Name, Birthday, Address and Relationship to Primary Cardholder
• Barclaycard – Name, Birthday, Address, Relationship to Primary Cardmember and Citizenship status

Before adding an authorized user, you should also make sure to weigh the benefits and potential drawbacks of doing so. On the one hand, it will help the authorized user build credit. And if you mess up, the authorized user can have the negative records removed from his or her credit report. On the other hand, you’re the one who’s responsible for paying the bill every month.

You can find more information about adding an authorized user on the WalletHub’s authorized user guide.

Your credit score may either improve or drop slightly when you are removed as an authorized user on a credit card. That is because the account history for the credit card will automatically drop off your credit reports upon removal. As a result, your score could see slight modifications when you are removed as an authorized user, depending on how the credit card account was managed.… read full answer

If the primary account holder paid the credit card bills late or used a lot of the card's available credit, being removed as an authorized user could actually help your credit score, for example. Either way, you can always add points to your score over time by using your own credit accounts responsibly. For more tips on how to improve your credit score, you can visit our guide on the subject.

Legally, there is no minimum age for an authorized user on a credit card. That’s because authorized users aren’t entering into any kind of contract or borrowing money in their own name. But some credit card companies have their own requirements. Barclaycard along with American Express authorized users must be at least 13 years old, for example, while Discover requires authorized users to be at least 15 years old. The minimum age requirement for authorized users 16 years old for PNC Bank, while Wells Fargo and Synchrony requires authorized users to be at least 18 years old. None of the other 15 largest credit companies have minimums, though. You could make a newborn an authorized user on your account if you want to. … read full answer

No matter how old the authorized user is, adding one is an important decision. On the one hand, it’s a great way for a young person to build credit before they’re old enough to qualify for their own account. But on the other hand, the primary accountholder has to be comfortable assuming responsibility for any charges the authorized user makes.

Here’s the minimum age for an authorized user on a credit card:

• Chase: No minimum age
• Bank of America: No minimum age
• Citibank: No minimum age
• American Express: 13 years old
• Capital One: No minimum age
• Discover: 15 years old

• Wells Fargo: 18 years old

• S. Bank: No minimum age

• Barclays: 13 years old

• Synchrony Bank: 18 years old

• USAA: No minimum age, but minors under 18 cannot view the account online. To be eligible for membership, you or a family member must have served in the armed forces.

• Navy Federal Credit Union: No minimum age To be eligible for membership, you or a family member must have served in the armed forces.

• PNC Bank: 16 years old

• TD Bank: No minimum age
• First National Bank of Omaha: No minimum age

If you’re worried about an authorized user being irresponsible with your account, several banks allow you to manage your user’s access to credit. For instance, you may be able to set individual spending limits or get alerts when the user makes new purchases. Sometimes, you can even make it so that all purchases must be approved by you before they go through. That way, you can give someone young experience with credit while still laying down restrictions.