 TITLE: Will Being an Authorized User Help My Credit? CONTENT: If you have little or no credit history, becoming an authorized user gives you a jump-start. When someone you trust adds you as an authorized user to their credit card, a new account will appear on your credit report.\nAdditionally, all the characteristics of the original account will have an impact on your credit scores. You'll most benefit from joining an account that has been open a long time, has spotless payment history and has a low credit utilization rate, meaning a small percentage of the total available credit is being used.\nBut for those factors to benefit you, the credit card issuer must report authorized-user activity to the credit bureaus, and your credit score must incorporate that activity in its calculations. Everyone has multiple credit scores, and some scores may not consider authorized-user activity as representative of your trustworthiness as activity on an individual or joint account.\nFor that reason, if you're looking to rebound from damaged credit or to see a big boost fast, you may want to open an account of your own, such as a credit-builder loan or secured credit card. More on those options later. END