 TITLE: Will Being an Authorized User Help My Credit? CONTENT: What Are the Risks of Being an Authorized User?\n-----------------------------------------------\nJust as joining a responsible credit user's account can help you, linking yourself with a less reliable cardholder can hurt you. If the cardholder misses a payment or maxes out their card, your credit could be negatively affected. Some credit reporting agencies, including Experian, do not include negative payment history in an authorized user's credit report. But others may.\nBefore becoming an authorized user, ask the primary account holder about past late payments, how long they've had the account, and how often they use more than 30% of their credit limit. Experts say those with good credit scores use less than that on a regular basis (and those with the best scores stay around 10% or less). To be extra sure you're making the right call, consider asking if the account holder will let you see their credit report. END