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Does American Express report authorized users to credit bureaus?
You can build your credit without applying for a card.
If you’re too young to apply for a credit card, or if your credit score is preventing you from getting the card you want, consider becoming an authorized user on someone else’s card. As an authorized user, you can build credit without applying for a card.
American Express refers to its authorized users as additional card members. And it reports additional card members to the three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
What is American Express reporting policy?
American Express will report positive and negative information to the authorized user’s credit report.
How can being an authorized user help my credit?
Being an authorized user, you get to piggyback on a primary cardholder’s activity. But for this to work, the primary cardholder must pay their full balance before the due date and keep their utilization ratio low.
If the primary cardholder is late on their payment or starts piling debt, your credit score can take a hit.
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If you’re older than 18 and you want to build your credit score, consider secured or student credit cards. But if you already have a good credit score or higher, you can apply for most credit cards and even earn rewards on your purchases.
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Bottom line
If you’re too young to qualify for a credit card, or if you need to build your credit, American Express allows authorized users on its cards.
But if you can apply for a credit card on your own, consider a secured credit card or a student credit card to build your credit.
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