If you have someone special in your life, then it might be time to add an additional cardholder to your account. Whether this is a wife or husband, or even a child, adding an additional cardholder can be advantageous for a number of reasons. If you are unsure about how to add an additional cardholder to your credit card account, then here are some tips to get you started.

How to add an additional cardholder

Adding an additional cardholder is generally very easy to do, and usually involves calling up your card issuer to arrange it. All you have to do is give the details of the person that you would like to add to the account and then this will be arranged for you.

Who can I add?

In theory you can add anyone you want as an additional cardholder to your account. However, the most common people to add to your account are partners, spouses or children. You might want to add a partner or spouse if you are beginning to share your accounts with each other and pool your assets. Also, you might want to add a child to your account so that you can keep track of their spending whilst giving them some financial freedom.

Advantages of adding cardholders

The advantages of adding a cardholder are that you can reduce the number of accounts that you and the additional cardholder have, making payments easier. Also, it can help you to budget more effectively as a household if you all use the same accounts. Also, you can use the same pool of money but have separate cards, giving you the freedom to spend on your own whilst someone else does the same. It also allows you to keep track of both your spending and the spending of others, meaning you can make savings more effectively.

Disadvantages

Although there are some advantages, there can also be problems. If you add someone as an additional cardholder, then you are responsible for the balance that they accrue each month. The balance is part of your statement, so you are the one who will be liable. This might lead to problems if your child spends irresponsibly or if you are having relationship problems.

Cancelling an additional cardholder

If you have become separated or divorced from your partner or your children have moved away, then it is important to cancel any additional cards to stop them being used. To many people get landed with large bills after divorce because they forgot to cancel the extra card and their partner charged everything to their account. As long as you keep track of additional cards and cancel them when necessary, then you can reduce the amount of cards that you are your partner require whilst still having the freedom to spend.