 TITLE: Authorized User vs. Cosigner: What Is the Difference? CONTENT: What It Means to Be a Cosigner\n------------------------------\nUnlike an authorized user, a credit card cosigner is legally responsible for paying the charges on the card if the primary cardholder can't. The account will appear on both cardholders' credit reports, and negative information will seriously affect the cosigner's credit—especially missed payments, since payment history is the largest contributor to a FICO® Score☉ .\nThe amount of debt on the card will also be factored into the cosigner's debt-to-income ratio, potentially affecting whether he or she can get credit in the future. END