If you’re a parent, there’s a relatively simple move you can make to set your kids up to have a healthy credit score before they’re even old enough to tap a card at the register: make them an authorized user on your credit card.
Your child will get their own card that’s connected to your account and have access to your card’s credit limit. However, as the primary cardholder, you’ll still see what purchases they make and you’re responsible for paying off the balance each month.
“I think this is a great way to essentially let them start building credit,” Gregg Murset, a CFP, father of six and co-founder and CEO of BusyKid money management app, tells CNBC Make It. “You can give a little bit of oversight while they’re learning the world of credit.”
Your positive credit habits, such as consistently making on-time payments and keeping your credit utilization low, can become a part of your child’s …