Just click on any question below to see our answer. We hope these brief exchanges will provide you with inspiration and insight as you continue your credit repair journey.

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Authorized User Accounts Q & A

Do They Work?

Do authorized user accounts work? Get Answer »

My Scores Fell

I got an authorized user account and my scores fell, can you tell me why? Get Answer »

Account Went Bad

I was an authorized user on an account that went bad. It is now hurting my credit repair. Can I get removed from the card? Get Answer »

Account Timing

How long until an authorized user account will help my credit repair program? Get Answer »

Purchase Accounts

I’m thinking of purchasing an authorized user account as part of my credit repair. What do you think? Get Answer »

A Credit Repair Boost

I’m just starting credit repair. Can I skip opening my own accounts and just get a few authorized user accounts? Get Answer »

FICO Changes

I heard that the new version of FICO (the credit scoring formula) eliminates the benefit of authorized user accounts. Is this true? Get Answer »

Authorized User Tips

I want to get an authorized user account to jumpstart my credit repair. Are there any potential issues I should be careful about? Get Answer »

How Do They Work?

How do authorized user accounts work, and can they be a real benefit to my credit repair process? Get Answer »

Is There a Donor Risk?

If my father adds me to one of his credit cards as an authorized user is there any risk for his credit? Get Answer »

Credit Repair and Authorized User Accounts

Credit repair, at least the way we see it, is about creating real, lasting credit improvement. It’s about building the kind of credit that you can be proud of and lenders will love. And it is about building your own credit.

Authorized user accounts have their role in credit repair, but we see this role as supplementary. If you have turned the corner in your credit life and are sincerely trying to rebuild your credit, authorized user accounts can provide a helpful credit score boost. This can be encouraging and may even help you qualify for financing, should you be in the market for a loan.

But authorized user accounts are not a replacement for building your own credit. Secured credit cards, if managed right, are a perfect credit repair tool, and will belong to you. This is an important consideration. As you will see as you browse this section of our Credit Repair Questions and Answers, authorized user accounts can go bad and leave you worse off than before. In addition, many lenders now scrutinize your credit report to see that you have open accounts of your own.

If you have access to authorized user accounts, by all means make them a part of your credit repair program, but don’t neglect to build your own credit. Good luck!