Apple Card Family expands availability to spouses, children over 13

Posted:
in General Discussion edited April 2021
Apple has expanded Apple Card to enable multiple people to use it, with Apple Card Family allowing more than just the primary account holder to use the credit facility.




The first new announcement during Apple's "Spring Loaded" event was an update to Apple Card, adding the previously-rumored multi-user support. Launching in the U.S. in May, Apple Card Family will allow two people to co-own an Apple Card account.

Under Apple Card Family, two people can merge their credit lines together, which can help customers build credit together. It will also help those with poor credit get use of Apple Card, by sharing it with someone with better credit.

"We designed Apple Card Family because we saw an opportunity to reinvent how spouses, partners, and the people you trust most share credit cards and build credit together," said Apple VP of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey. "There's been a lack of transparency and consumer understanding in the way credit scores are calculated when there are two users of the same credit card, since the primary account holder receives the benefit of building a strong credit history while the other does not."

Bailey continued "Apple Card Family lets people build their credit history together equally."

The card can be shared with any eligible customers aged 18 or older as a co-owner, but it can also be used by more people. It can be shared with up to five people via the Wallet, including those aged 13 or older, with the added option to set individual spending limits and controls.

The added facility also means existing Apple Card users can merge their accounts together for a higher shared credit limit, while also keeping the lower APR of the two accounts. Benefits such as Daily Cash will continue to be available.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    ionicleionicle Posts: 98member
    Fantastic, not sure i would trust a 13yr old with a credit card though 🤔
    viclauyycdoozydozen
  • Reply 2 of 9
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,573member
    The added facility also means existing Apple Card users can merge their accounts together for a higher shared credit limit
    I doubt that this new feature allows "for a higher shared credit limit." That's an interesting spin on the truth, which is that the old system divided the credit limit into two different smaller credit limits. So it's not higher now than the combined accounts were before this change. There is no new higher credit, it's just how you count it.
  • Reply 3 of 9
    viclauyycviclauyyc Posts: 849member
    I really want Apple Card available in canada. 
    caladanian
  • Reply 4 of 9
    viclauyyc said:
    I really want Apple Card available in canada. 
    And many other countries. I agree. 
    22july2013
  • Reply 5 of 9
    eulereuler Posts: 81member
    I have been using Apple Card for about six months now, and I love it.
    doozydozen
  • Reply 6 of 9
    applguyapplguy Posts: 235member
    The added facility also means existing Apple Card users can merge their accounts together for a higher shared credit limit
    I doubt that this new feature allows "for a higher shared credit limit." That's an interesting spin on the truth, which is that the old system divided the credit limit into two different smaller credit limits. So it's not higher now than the combined accounts were before this change. There is no new higher credit, it's just how you count it.
    From the press release. “Existing Apple Card customers can also merge their Apple Card accounts, giving the flexibility of a higher shared credit limit while keeping the lower APR of the two accounts.”
    Rayz2016
  • Reply 7 of 9
    I agree that giving a 13 year old a credit card is crazy.

    However my wife and I have separate Apple cards with high limits and I don't think combining them is going to make any difference.

    Also as of late my wife has found Goldman Sach's support to be nothing but terrible. She had two charges where they appeared as double hits, customer support if you can call them support,  took 60 days after much telephoning and writing to tell them one was a preauthorization, and the same amount was the actual charge.

    They didn't seem to get that point. Had her dispute the charge. Needless to say she said she would shy away from using the apple card. But they did eventually fixed their error. but 60 days for something that should have fell off automatically.

    Support has gone down since it first came out. however I have had no issue with them. 
  • Reply 8 of 9
    ionicle said:
    Fantastic, not sure i would trust a 13yr old with a credit card though 🤔
    With limits; sure. Unlimited not so much. 

    Amex allows teens to have a card under their an adults account. It has its own number and you can set a limit on it if you want. I provided a card to my daughter when she was 13 with a low limit ($500). Much better than always sending her out with cash. I'd rather she lost the card than cash. Also, she had enough money in her savings account (money from birthdays, Christmas, etc) to pay back the $500 if she ever bought anything she was not authorized to buy. She's 18 now and we never had an issue. 

    Your mileage my vary though! ;) 
    kurai_kage
  • Reply 9 of 9
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    masteric said:
    ionicle said:
    Fantastic, not sure i would trust a 13yr old with a credit card though 🤔
    With limits; sure. Unlimited not so much. 

    Amex allows teens to have a card under their an adults account. It has its own number and you can set a limit on it if you want. I provided a card to my daughter when she was 13 with a low limit ($500). Much better than always sending her out with cash. I'd rather she lost the card than cash. Also, she had enough money in her savings account (money from birthdays, Christmas, etc) to pay back the $500 if she ever bought anything she was not authorized to buy. She's 18 now and we never had an issue. 

    Your mileage my vary though! ;) 

    I would want to hear more about what all those "limits" are.  Simply setting a lower balance limit might reduce the risk the kid buys a Corvette with it but still allows substantial over-spending.  And, while many people are known to have poor self control with cards, that would be even worse with a teenager -- they are not known for their self-control.

    While I want to find out more about those limits, for now I'll stick with my solution:  A Starbuck's debit card from Chase.
    Every Friday I check his school grades and add money to his debit card based on those grades.  He carries it in his AppleWallet so he can use it anywhere -- even online with EBay, Amazon, DoorDash, etc.....    And, if he's out somewhere and needs immediate funds for some reason Ii can add more in less than minute from my iPhone -- and it doesn't cost a dime.  There are no fees.

    It's, so far, been a perfect solution.   It's only limitation is he cannot use it with ApplePay.  That would be nice.   But, to him, he doesn't care.  I originally tried using AppleCash for him.  But he became disillusioned with it because many of the places he frequented (like a deli after school) would not accept it.  Nor could he use it for Amazon or EBay purchases.

    And, the digital cash has another benefit (aside from keeping up with the times):  
    He pointed out:  "You can't buy drugs with a debit card."   (Apparently drugs are easy to come by in his (well to do) middle school).

    I'm hoping this new feature from Apple can replace his debit card, but I have my doubts.
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