Dear Mary: I’ve heard that adding someone to your credit card will help that person establish a credit history, even if they do not use the card. Is that true? How would I go about doing it?—Pat
Dear Pat: It is true. You would add this adult (at least age 18) as an “authorized user” to your account by calling your credit card issuer’s customer service. (Find the toll-free number on the back of your card.) An authorized user has all the privileges of using the account without any liability for repayment.
