Joint credit cardholders both equally share the responsibility and benefits of the account. This article will examine joint credit card accounts, how they work, their pros and cons, and how they compare to authorized users for building credit.
What is a Joint Credit Card?
A joint credit card account can also have an authorized user added who can receive their card and access the account’s spending limit, but they do not face legal responsibility for paying the bill.
How Does a Joint Account Work for Credit Cards?
With joint credit card accounts, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Meaning, each person gets to make their own decisions on using the joint credit card in a legal sense.
Pros of Joint Credit Cards
- Convenient for sharing finances with a spouse or loved one (including kids if you’d like to help your children build credit as their parents). - Easier for tracking expense and payment history while also keeping better control over your credit utilization ratio—positives for building good credit scores.
Cons of Joint Credit Cards
- Can’t remove a joint account holder from the account for any reason. - To close the account and settle any debt, you will need to pay off the balance or transfer it to another credit card, thus clearing your ability to close the joint account.
Can a Joint Credit Card Account Help Build Credit?
These joint accounts can help you build credit if both users have a good handle on their credit. Further, an open pathway to communication is a good idea to maintain a pristine payment history.