Credit Scores.... do we honestly lose our credit history?

[NikLR 13,220]

Td wont always do it. Other members have reported thast TD refused them.

[Peteandannie 2]

I work in the credit reporting industry. The best thing to do after you are married and get a SSN, get added to your US spouse credit cards.

You will immediately have a credit history and score. Be sure to get added as a joint user not an authorized user only.

[oncefuturealien 45]

I work in the credit reporting industry. The best thing to do after you are married and get a SSN, get added to your US spouse credit cards.

You will immediately have a credit history and score. Be sure to get added as a joint user not an authorized user only.

Whoa! that's great to know!

[NikLR 13,220]

Whoa! that's great to know!

Yup totally works.

It's good to have your spouse co-sign loans for you too. (Helpful for ROC as well if pertinent.)

[zilchfox 296]

Our credit score resets? Thank God... Mine isn't exactly stellar...

Edited June 22, 2016 by zilchfox

[Teddy B 17,251]

I work in the credit reporting industry. The best thing to do after you are married and get a SSN, get added to your US spouse credit cards.

You will immediately have a credit history and score. Be sure to get added as a joint user not an authorized user only.

Credit card companies will only add a person with no credit history as an authorized user in the beginning, the joint applicant part takes about 6 months to a year to be approved once the credit of that person is built up. An authorized user is not responsible for paying the bill, a joint applicant is. Without any prior credit history one cannot be added as a joint applicant. I did this with Bank Of America and Chase for my wife when she first moved here and after a year she had a credit score in the high 700's. This is the fastest and easiest way to build one's credit so long as the primary card holder has good credit to start with.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Yes - it sucks majorly. I ranted about it about 8 yrs ago on here. Prior to the big banking collapse I had read all I needed to do was get added to the hub's card, get added to bills and I'd have a little history in short order.

None of those created a history for me and when I went to apply for a modest credit card at our own bank where my pay was regularly deposited. I was denied despite earning 60-70K for over a year. The stupid bank mgr's only suggestion was have my husband co-sign for me which pissed me off to no end because it wasn't 1950 for gawd's sake. I was an independent 38 yr old with fabulous Canadian credit and they wouldn't/couldn't check it - total #######. I applied for a Sears card and was denied...it was pretty humbling.

So.....I sucked it up and applied for a secured credit card which had a $300 limit where I had to provide a $300 deposit for them to hold. I used it regularly and paid it off in full each month. Within 6 months I was offered a higher balance and then after a yr or 2 I applied at our bank (we switched...that episode alone was enough to leave) and my credit is in good shape now. We included my name on a car loan application and that really helped establish even better credit .

We recently refinanced our mortgage and both our credits helped us get a great rate and knock 10 yrs off. Yay for progress!

Not instant, but you can get back to normal in a few years.

Edited June 23, 2016 by Udella&Wiz

[HollywoodNorth 22]

Our credit score resets? Thank God... Mine isn't exactly stellar...

No. The credit score doesn't reset. Each country has their own system. Canadian credit won't impact you in the US and vice versa. So if you are Canadian you get a blank/fresh page. Good news if you want a fresh start. Not so great if you have great credit in Canada.

After a year or two you'll start building a history pretty quickly in the US.

[Peteandannie 2]

Credit card companies will only add a person with no credit history as an authorized user in the beginning, the joint applicant part takes about 6 months to a year to be approved once the credit of that person is built up. An authorized user is not responsible for paying the bill, a joint applicant is. Without any prior credit history one cannot be added as a joint applicant. I did this with Bank Of America and Chase for my wife when she first moved here and after a year she had a credit score in the high 700's. This is the fastest and easiest way to build one's credit so long as the primary card holder has good credit to start with.

Perhaps it varies with creditors but I have seen a 19 year girl that had no credit added to her 25 year old finance credit cards and within weeks had a +700 scores and was qualified for a mortgage.

[NikLR 13,220]

It "kinda" resets because many people have to start from the bottom building their credit again. It doesnt reset your canadian score obviously

No. The credit score doesn't reset. Each country has their own system. Canadian credit won't impact you in the US and vice versa. So if you are Canadian you get a blank/fresh page. Good news if you want a fresh start. Not so great if you have great credit in Canada.

After a year or two you'll start building a history pretty quickly in the US.

But of course there are ways to build it faster using a great Canadian score.

[HollywoodNorth 22]

Perhaps it varies with creditors but I have seen a 19 year girl that had no credit added to her 25 year old finance credit cards and within weeks had a +700 scores and was qualified for a mortgage.

It depends on job/income as well.

I was a fresh immigrant over 15 years ago and had zero US credit history and I had a 700+ fico score and got pre-approved mortgage.. of course they were giving away mortgages to everyone who had a pulse back then which caused the 2008 real estate bust...

I may be incorrect but if you have no credit history you automatically start at 680-720 fico score as a baseline.

[caliliving 606]

Dont keep applying for credit cards!! Every pull will SEVERLY weaken your credit!!!!! you should get a Chase $500 secure card where its like a beginner card and like others said, they will keep upping it and within a year you will be OK!