What if a young person needs a credit card but can't get one?

A person cannot get a credit card under his or her own name until the age of 21 unless they have a co-signer or are able to demonstrate sufficient income to carry it.

Still, there are times when you might want to add your child as an authorized user, such as if they are going off to college. This is actually a good way for a young person to begin establishing credit. They get a card in their own name, and in most instances the payment history is reported to credit bureaus on their behalf. To help protect you, a "safety net" of sorts can often be arranged by setting a separate spending limit for the child's card.