 TITLE: What Is a Credit Card Cosigner and Should You Use One? CONTENT: Credit Card Cosigner vs. Authorized User\n----------------------------------------\nCredit card cosigners and authorized users are often confused, but they are two different things. Here's an overview of how both work.\n*   **A credit card cosigner**: A credit card cosigner agrees to pay the credit card bill if the account owner on the same card account doesn't pay. Typically, credit card cosigners don't receive a physical credit card, don't get a bill (unless the account owner doesn't pay the credit card debt) and don't have access to the credit card account.\n*   **An authorized user**: A primary credit card holder can add an authorized user to his or her credit card account. The authorized user then can use the card to make purchases but is not ultimately responsible for the card payment (that burden falls on the primary credit card holder). Authorized users may see a moderate uptick in their credit scores, assuming the primary user pays bills reliably and those payments are reported to the credit bureaus. Some cards may charge a fee for an additional cardholder; check with your card issuer for details. END