Credit Score

[Qdutchy 0]

Hi everyone,

It has been a while but happy to be back! I have a question, we are trying to get some credit established for me as I have insufficient credit history at the moment and we keep on reading that adding my name to my husbands card would work. We are just wondering how this would work? My full married name doesn't fit on the online form or card and they never ask for my social so how would that register with the central bureau?

Also I read the advise that I should get a Department Store card but I tried that before (first time I moved here) and got declined due to insufficient credit history and was warned that would get noted on my credit and look bad... We're at a loss.. it's beginning to feel like a catch 22...

Any help is very welcome!!

Quirine van Oldenborgh Dahlquist

[trillium13 84]

If they aren't asking you for a social, they are probably only adding you as an authorized user of the card, not a joint account holder. Being a joint account holder will help you establish credit. Being an authorized user won't.

I added my husband as a joint account holder on a Discover card after he got his GC. We had to send them a lot of proofs of his legality but ultimately he was added. I suggest you call the credit card company and ask them specifically if you can be added so that you can start building your own credit. Good luck!

[tallcoolone 102]

If they aren't asking you for a social, they are probably only adding you as an authorized user of the card, not a joint account holder. Being a joint account holder will help you establish credit. Being an authorized user won't.

Agreed.

I just went thru all the Bull$hit about getting my wife a credit score in USA.

Joint Account holder is the way to go.

Get him/her a couple of Secured Credit Cards.

Now of days getting a department store card won't work, cuz more than likely they will deny the person since they have zero credit history.

[antda 13]

Hi Qdutchy,

From my experience, here is how I established "credit" and financial history here in the USA:

-I had no credit/credit cards while I was in Canada, as I didn't need any nor did I want any, even though I had a bank account then.

-When I got here to the USA, I was also added to my husband's chequing/checking bank account, and it's a "joint account" (and USCIS wanted proof of such)

-I "piggybacked" on my husband's credit card, as a "joint cardholder" (which the USCIS also wanted proof of such)

-We used our card "for emergencies only", with very little balance left on it

-My husband made payments on the credit card every month, paying more than the minimum required

-Our credit limit kept on increasing and we never went over our limit

-Lol...then I kept on getting many more credit card offers, but I didn't want another card and I don't like credit cards anyways.

-I have no employment history at all in the USA

-Ironically, having good credit helps, as we recently purchased a house (in July/August 2009), and we found out:

-After about 2 years of being "joint": My credit rating was 750+, My husband's credit rating was 800+.

-Needless to say, our high credit rating helped us with the "approval" of the "joint mortgage" for our new house.

Hope this helps. And yes, you too can establish credit in the USA! (even though you might hate credit, but still need it anyways...)

Ant (Credit-hating, but high in credit....)

P.S. As for not being able to add your name to the online form, perhaps you can contact the credit card company about that, and see if they can send you another form by mail that you can fill out and send back to them instead. And yes, all credit card companies require copies of your SSN and/or other identification to be added to a credit card and to calculate your credit score, so be prepared to provide such to these credit card companies too.

Hi everyone,

It has been a while but happy to be back! I have a question, we are trying to get some credit established for me as I have insufficient credit history at the moment and we keep on reading that adding my name to my husbands card would work. We are just wondering how this would work? My full married name doesn't fit on the online form or card and they never ask for my social so how would that register with the central bureau?

Also I read the advise that I should get a Department Store card but I tried that before (first time I moved here) and got declined due to insufficient credit history and was warned that would get noted on my credit and look bad... We're at a loss.. it's beginning to feel like a catch 22...

Any help is very welcome!!

Quirine van Oldenborgh Dahlquist

Edited November 6, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[malego77 2]

Hi Qdutchy,

From my experience, here is how I established "credit" and financial history here in the USA:

-I had no credit/credit cards while I was in Canada, as I didn't need any nor did I want any, even though I had a bank account then.

-When I got here to the USA, I was also added to my husband's chequing/checking bank account, and it's a "joint account" (and USCIS wanted proof of such)

-I "piggybacked" on my husband's credit card, as a "joint cardholder" (which the USCIS also wanted proof of such)

-We used our card "for emergencies only", with very little balance left on it

-My husband made payments on the credit card every month, paying more than the minimum required

-Our credit limit kept on increasing and we never went over our limit

-Lol...then I kept on getting many more credit card offers, but I didn't want another card and I don't like credit cards anyways.

-I have no employment history at all in the USA

-Ironically, having good credit helps, as we recently purchased a house (in July/August 2009), and we found out:

-After about 2 years of being "joint": My credit rating was 750+, My husband's credit rating was 800+.

-Needless to say, our high credit rating helped us with the "approval" of the "joint mortgage" for our new house.

Hope this helps. And yes, you too can establish credit in the USA! (even though you might hate credit, but still need it anyways...)

Ant (Credit-hating, but high in credit....)

P.S. As for not being able to add your name to the online form, perhaps you can contact the credit card company about that, and see if they can send you another form by mail that you can fill out and send back to them instead. And yes, all credit card companies require copies of your SSN and/or other identification to be added to a credit card and to calculate your credit score, so be prepared to provide such to these credit card companies too.

Hi everyone,

It has been a while but happy to be back! I have a question, we are trying to get some credit established for me as I have insufficient credit history at the moment and we keep on reading that adding my name to my husbands card would work. We are just wondering how this would work? My full married name doesn't fit on the online form or card and they never ask for my social so how would that register with the central bureau?

Also I read the advise that I should get a Department Store card but I tried that before (first time I moved here) and got declined due to insufficient credit history and was warned that would get noted on my credit and look bad... We're at a loss.. it's beginning to feel like a catch 22...

Any help is very welcome!!

Quirine van Oldenborgh Dahlquist

I am glad to read your post. I am in the same situation. I just got a credit card denial because of I have insufficient credit history. I've been for 22 months in the US since I arrived my husband added me to his credit card account. I thought it was a slow way to get credit history, how long did it take to you to get a good score or history? I have checked my score and I have 750+ (same as my husband, both of us don't have enough credit history)...

My worry is because we are planning to get a house but how if we can't even have a credit card approved?

[Qdutchy 0]

Thanks everyone! This really helped!! I was wondering about the adding of a name and this makes perfect sense!! We will add me as a joint account holder and I will apply for a secured credit card with my bank and hopefully this will help things along...

Thanks again!!!!

[tallcoolone 102]

Post what you credit score is once you get a score.

For some reason my wife was given a 740 first time credit score, which is very high in my opinion.

I figured she would start out around 640 to 670 (Which I understand is average).

Good Luck......

[fdisale 0]

To improve credit score begin with small gasoline credit cards or department credit cards. Do not run up your balance to over 50percent of allowed credit limit. This will not look good to the credit agencies and will actually minimize your credit score. Never apply for so many different products of credit in a short amount of time. This will send Red Flags to the credit companies.

Edited January 1, 2010 by fdisale