HOW TO ADD CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED® CARD AUTHORIZED USERS: THE FEES AND BENEFITS TO EXPECT
Vault’s Viewpoint
- Adding a Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user is easy and can help you earn more rewards.
- There is no Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user fee so there’s no initial investment.
- Authorized users can make purchases but aren’t responsible for payments, so proceed with caution and set expectations.
What Is an Authorized User?
An authorized user is someone added to your credit card account. This person, often a spouse/partner or child, has authorization to make credit card transactions that post to your account. The authorized user gets their own credit card to use, making it convenient.
While the authorized user is granted access to the account and can make transactions, payment on the card is the sole responsibility of the primary cardholder. So before adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, discuss responsibilities and expectations.
How an Authorized User Can Help You
Adding an authorized user to your account can make it easy to simplify and track shared spending. So if you want to streamline spending with your spouse or keep tabs on what your child is spending money on this can be an easy way to do that.
Plus, it can help you meet minimum spending requirements to qualify for a welcome bonus offer and earn more rewards for faster redemption. Currently, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points earned after spending $4,000 within three months of opening your account.
It’s also possible to help your authorized user build or establish credit if you make on-time payments and maintain low balances. If you’re a parent wanting to add your child as an authorized user, there isn’t a legal minimum age. But be aware that Chase doesn’t report minors’ credit history as an authorized user to the major credit bureaus, according to the company website.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Authorized Users’ Benefits
It’s not just the primary cardholder who benefits from using this card. There are also Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized users’ benefits as well.
- No foreign transaction fees. One of the reasons consumers love the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is because it has no foreign transaction fees. So authorized users traveling internationally can skip this extra fee with this card.
- No annual fee. There’s no Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user fee, so there are no extra costs for the primary cardholder when adding an authorized user. This is a major perk compared to the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® which has a fee of $75 for each authorized user.
- Establish or build credit. Authorized users may get some credit-building benefits by piggybacking on the primary cardholder’s account. For this to work, the primary account holder must have a positive repayment history and the activity of the authorized user must be reported to the credit bureaus.
- Free DashPass from DoorDash. Authorized users can take advantage of at least 12 months of free DashPass to use on DoorDash and Caviar. You must activate the membership using your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and do so by December 31, 2024.
- Instacart+ Membership. One of the benefits available to authorized users is a 6-month Instacart+ Membership. This is limited to one complimentary membership per eligible card account, so can be activated either by the primary cardholder or any authorized users. Requires activation by July 31, 2024.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver. Provides primary coverage if there are damages from a collision or theft on a rental car when you decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the rental cost to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
- Baggage delay insurance. If there is a baggage delay of more than six hours, authorized users may qualify for a maximum of $100 per day for up to five days to purchase necessities.
- Extended warranty protection. If you have an eligible warranty that’s three years or less, this benefit can help extend the warranty for an additional year. There’s a $10,000 maximum claim and a $50,000 maximum per account.
- Lost luggage reimbursement. Provides reimbursement for lost luggage per covered person per trip of up to $3,000. How much you receive will depend on any compensation received and the items lost, including any sub-limits.
- Purchase protection. Through this benefit, authorized users can get protection on new, eligible purchases if they are damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase.
- Travel accident insurance. Provides a percentage of benefits based on certain eligible losses from accidents while traveling.
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance. Covers expenses of up to $10,000 per person or $20,000 per trip total if there’s a qualified trip cancellation or interruption.
- Trip delay reimbursement. Provides coverage for unreimbursed expenses of up to $500 per ticket if there’s a delay that is over 12 hours or requires an overnight stay. Examples include booking a hotel stay and meals.
Adding an Authorized User to Your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card in 13 Steps
If you want to maximize your rewards potential and add an authorized user, the good news is there is no Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user fee. If you have more than one person in mind, you may be able to add multiple authorized users at no cost. Chase doesn’t openly advertise a limit on the number of authorized users one can have with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Before moving forward, discuss with your prospective authorized users. As the primary cardholder, you’re on the hook for all charges on the account. The authorized user is not. You may discuss a payment arrangement or come up with an agreement on how much to spend, etc. Additionally, the rewards earned are technically yours and not the authorized user’s.
You can discuss potentially sharing them or transferring them, but it’s at your discretion. Ensure all parties understand their roles, rights, responsibilities, and potential consequences. Once you’re ready, here’s how to add an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card in 13 easy steps.
1. Sign in to your account on Chase.com.
2. Input username and password
3. Click on “More” in the upper-right corner
4. Select “Account services”
5. Choose “Authorized users” from the drop-down menu
6. Review account
7. Select “Get started” on the bottom right
8. Add authorized user information
9. Add the authorized user’s address
10. Confirm shipping details
11. Click “Next” on the bottom right
12. Review authorized info for accuracy
13. Click on “Add authorized user”
After completing the process to add a Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user, the new card will typically come by mail to the primary cardholder’s address. It may take up to two weeks for the authorized user’s card to arrive.
Pros and Cons of Adding an Authorized User to Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Though it’s easy, adding a Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user is not something you want to jump into without considering the benefits and drawbacks. Here’s a quick snapshot of the pros and cons of adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Pros
- Earn rewards faster if there’s increased spending
- Streamline spending
- May help authorized user’s credit
- May find it easier to meet spending minimum for welcome bonus offer
Cons
- Primary cardholder responsible for all payments
- Potential for conflict or disputes with the authorized user
- No exclusive rewards access for the authorized user
- No separate transaction statement for the authorized user
How To Remove an Authorized User on Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
At some point, you might want to remove the authorized user from your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Some reasons include:
- Your relationship with the authorized user changes
- Your relationship with the authorized user comes to an end
- You want to simplify your transactions
- You want sole account privileges
- The arrangement isn’t working out as you hoped
- Having an authorized user is impacting your credit utilization and credit score
Whatever the reason is, you can remove an authorized user from your Chase Sapphire Preferred card but it’s not as simple as adding one. You must find the number on the back of your credit card and call Chase to make the request.
What Authorized Users Can and Can’t Do
Your authorized user is just that. Someone you authorize to use your account and make transactions. But that’s about the extent of it. The authorized user doesn’t have all of the same account privileges as the primary cardholder.
Because of that, authorized users can’t ask for a credit limit increase or modify any of your account or login information such as username and password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Adding Someone as an Authorized User on Their Chase Sapphire Preferred Help Their Credit Chase?
Adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card won’t help your credit. If the authorized user charges a lot leading to a high balance, it may lead to a drop in your credit score because of high credit utilization. If you add an authorized user and have good credit and make your payments by the due date, you may be able to help the authorized user’s credit however the opposite is also true.
How Much Does Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Charge for Authorized Users?
There is no Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user fee. So if you add an authorized user to your account, it won’t cost you anything. This is a departure from the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which comes with a $75 fee for each authorized user.
Do Chase Authorized Users Get Their Own Login?
As a Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user, you get your own credit card connected to the primary cardholder’s account but do not get login access. The primary account holder has a username and password to access their account and see their and the authorized user’s transactions.
Do Chase Sapphire Preferred Authorized Users Get Priority Pass?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn’t have Priority Pass Select membership benefits for primary cardholders or authorized users. But the premium version of the card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve does. The Sapphire Preferred has a much lower annual fee and no Chase Sapphire Preferred authorized user fee, while the Reserve has a hefty annual fee and charges $75 per authorized user.
What Is the Difference Between Authorized User and Joint Chase Account Holders?
Authorized users can make purchases, but have no legal responsibility for the payments. The primary cardholder is solely liable for payments and has total access to the account. Joint account holders are two people who have joint responsibility and shared access to the card. It’s typically easier to become an authorized user as credit isn’t part of the criteria. Chase does not offer joint credit cards.
The post How To Add Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Authorized Users: The Fees And Benefits To Expect first appeared on Newsweek Vault.
2024-06-28T19:43:36Z dg43tfdfdgfd
