Obtaining a Credit Card for Wife - Help needed

[Sam and Fen]

the free reports are annoying because you have to sign up for accounts with 2 of the 3 credit places before they will show you the reports.

 

 

Not true.

You must be going to a 3rd party website like freecreditreport.com.

you can go directly to the govts website that links to the 3 reporting sites or you go directly to their web sites.

[mmpv]

the free reports are annoying because you have to sign up for accounts with 2 of the 3 credit places before they will show you the reports.

 

 

Not true.

You must be going to a 3rd party website like freecreditreport.com.

you can go directly to the govts website that links to the 3 reporting sites or you go directly to their web sites.

 

Actually, I think what Robert is referring to is going through https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp and selecting the credit bureaus for the reports. But once he has been redirected to a particular credit bureau, that bureau request that you set up a login name and password with them so that you can go back in later and view the free credit report and presumably sell you something along the way. I think this is an optional step for some and mandatory in others as Robert said. I've noticed it myself. But it's only a 1 time thing, unless you loose that login info.

 

By the way.

All 3 will try to sell you a credit score when you access the freebie report, purchasing the credit score is optional.

[mmpv]

I could not get my husband's credit report no matter what I tried

 

The law is that you are allowed to look at your credit history once a year for free. It will not tell you the score but you can look at everything else from the 3 big credit reporting companies.

 

I know this, but the companies refused. Hubby was by the phone so it is not like they denied me because I wasn't my husband. This ever happen to anyone else? It was about 6 months after coming to America so he should have had some kind of report since he had a social and was on my card for 6 months. Oh well, maybe he can get his report this year lol.

 

What was their reason for refusal?

 

They are required by law to let you view the contents of what they keep on you (if they have one.) All 3 bureaus have AVR phone lines where you can leave your info and they will snail mail you a report. If you can't get through the phone maze, you can write them for a report. Send it via certified mail with return receipt to get their attention.

[chengdu4me]

The best, easiest, and cheapest way to establish credit for her is to open an account in her name with your bank. Then open a savings account for her, as well. Then go to the other side of the lobby and apply for a loan...$500 ought to do it. Co-sign for the loan for her and then put the money in her savings account. Use the savings account to pay back the loan. Pay three payments every month and get it paid off early as possible. Then go get another loan for $1,000 and do the same thing. Once she has a good payment history with the bank from two loans, she will have an excellent credit score. Keep in mind that your credit score is made up of not only timely repayment of debts, but also a track record of sustainable repayment. That is why it is important to not pay off the loans too fast.

[celiothrkn]

I went through www.annualcreditreport.com and was able to pull 2 of 3 reports for free and without registering any login names. The third one, TransUnion, did require a login though.

 

Looks like adding spouse as "authorized user" on credit card is the best option until she gets her own credit card offer in the mail.

[xiaofeizhu]

I could not get my husband's credit report no matter what I tried

 

The law is that you are allowed to look at your credit history once a year for free. It will not tell you the score but you can look at everything else from the 3 big credit reporting companies.

 

I know this, but the companies refused. Hubby was by the phone so it is not like they denied me because I wasn't my husband. This ever happen to anyone else? It was about 6 months after coming to America so he should have had some kind of report since he had a social and was on my card for 6 months. Oh well, maybe he can get his report this year lol.

 

What was their reason for refusal?

 

They are required by law to let you view the contents of what they keep on you (if they have one.) All 3 bureaus have AVR phone lines where you can leave your info and they will snail mail you a report. If you can't get through the phone maze, you can write them for a report. Send it via certified mail with return receipt to get their attention.

 

I dunno what their deal was. I was able to access all of mine from each of the three bureaus' sites with no problem (just enter name, social, blah blah, etc.) I was on the phone for over an hour with Experian to get my hubby's but they just kept on going around in circles telling me no, etc. I tried to call Equifax I think it was and I hung up after 20 minutes of the run around. Like I said, though, maybe he just had no history, in which case a "he has no history" would have been nice. I will try again this year and let you all know how it goes.

 

Incidentally, hubby said he just got an email from equifax saying they had his free report online. How ironic.

[Sam and Fen]

Incidentally, hubby said he just got an email from equifax saying they had his free report online. How ironic.

 

Oh I called in a few favors for you.

 

Just kidding. I had to go thru this when I first came here and now I have to do it all over again.

 

Goodluck.

[Guest Pommey]

try wal mart

[Appaullo]

We were looking at buying a new car for my wife and when I asked about putting it in her name the salesman told me it would not be possible as she has no credit buyilt up yet. He said a good way to establish her future credit was to put her on as a co-signer for the loan.

[Sam and Fen]

We were looking at buying a new car for my wife and when I asked about putting it in her name the salesman told me it would not be possible as she has no credit buyilt up yet. He said a good way to establish her future credit was to put her on as a co-signer for the loan.

 

 

Maybe I am wrong but I do beleive that the loan will get reported on the primary SSN meaning you and will not help in building credit for your wife.

[Batmaniac]

OK, I am bumping this up this morning. You guys should try Home Depot. Last night they gave my wife a $500 credit line no questions asked. Just approved through the register and she had to punch in he SS# and DOB in the key pad. Didn't even ask about income and job. And I was not a co-signer. We didn't need the card for the purchase, but thinking about this thread I thought it might be a good plan to start establishing credit for her.

 

Now the employee wanted to get her approved for more to completely cover our multiple door purchases, but that was a no-go when the credit company got her on the phone. They asked her multiple choice questions to establish where she has lived for the last year and that her name was NOT Marsha (with our last name). I don't know who the hell Marsha is either, but Ying was asking me questions about her the rest of the night.

[Batmaniac]

OK, she just received another one in the mail from Rooms To Go. So you guys should try there.

[Randy W]

We were looking at buying a new car for my wife and when I asked about putting it in her name the salesman told me it would not be possible as she has no credit buyilt up yet. He said a good way to establish her future credit was to put her on as a co-signer for the loan.

 

 

If you pay cash, they will put her name (only) on the title