Upping my credit score
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32
Upping my credit score
Hello, wise and wonderful expats. Having moved to Ca, married my US citizen husband, I'm now looking to start building my credit score. From reading the forums, looks like applying for my own credit/store cards will result in immediate rejection, thus damaging my already piteous credit score. Would it be better for building credit to a) get a secured card or b) ask my husband to cosign a card for me or c) do both? I have a current account with BoA, and we have a joint account with them too, for what it's worth.
Thanks all!
Thanks all!
#2
Re: Upping my credit score
Not a immigration question, so I moved it to the main US section.
The subject has come up quite a lot. There is a wiki that'll make for a good start.
But yes, do both and get your name on the car finance and anything else would also help.
The subject has come up quite a lot. There is a wiki that'll make for a good start.
But yes, do both and get your name on the car finance and anything else would also help.
#3
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: Upping my credit score
I don't think you need to open any new cards - just have your name added to all of your husband's accounts and cards. My credit score is actually better than my husband's now and I've never had finance in my own name at all. Went from 0 to 820 in a pretty short period of time.
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 99
Re: Upping my credit score
If you have a SSN, sign up with Credit Karma and you'll receive advisory notices how to improve your score, AND start receiving pre-approved offers from virtually all the credit card companies.
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Upping my credit score
Do all the US banks report credit to the spouse credit report when they have a secondary card on the others account?
Curious if it's the norm, or just some banks.
Up this way the banks don't do that, well the banks we have credit with anyhow.
Curious if it's the norm, or just some banks.
Up this way the banks don't do that, well the banks we have credit with anyhow.
#8
Re: Upping my credit score
Score is meaningless without history. Length of history is a big factor. Give it a couple of years of careful credit use, paying off in full, not using too much of your limit.
#9
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: Upping my credit score
We're with BofA and they do - I hadn't realised some don't!
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Oakland County, Michigan
Posts: 846
Re: Upping my credit score
My husband and I are authorized users on eachother's Chase cards and they report to both our credit reports. I never gave them my husband's SSN when I added him as an extra user, so I guess they confirmed his identity based on just name and address. Citibank also seems to report to the second user's credit report.
#11
Re: Upping my credit score
I think you can also get some prepay credit cards to help with credit score. If you are renting, some landlords report back rental payment history
#13
Re: Upping my credit score
As Bob suggested, delinquent payments can be reported, but only indirectly when tenant arrears are sold to collection agencies, and the collection agencies certainly do have access to report delinquencies.
Last edited by Pulaski; Jan 26th 2016 at 1:52 am.
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2015
Location: Little Elm, Tx
Posts: 156
Re: Upping my credit score
Don't know if this helps, but I am buying a car for my good lady. I just pinged my credit union (supports expats) to enquire a similar and they sent me a cover note for a $20k loan for a car with no issues. With a 4% rate.
If you've been in the country less than a year they can help - Advancial. That's my situation.
You may need to bank with them, but that was not a condition of my loan note, in fact if I use my Advancial bank account they will reduce the rate by a quarter percent.
If you've been in the country less than a year they can help - Advancial. That's my situation.
You may need to bank with them, but that was not a condition of my loan note, in fact if I use my Advancial bank account they will reduce the rate by a quarter percent.
#15
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2015
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 2,063
Re: Upping my credit score
When we came to the US, I was issued an Amex card by my employer. Within weeks, on a business trip to VA, the card was declined. The employer would regularly miss payments and/or be over their limit.
After I left that company (3 years later), I found the Amex card was on MY credit report and causing me a major hit on my credit. I challenged it and had it removed but it taught me the importance of getting and checking a regular credit report (not just the FICO score).