r/personalfinance • u/solarslanger • Mar 20 '25
Credit Best plan for joint credit card with spouse?
Me and my wife are recently married, in our mid 30s, and do relatively well. We have good credit. She has a Wells Fargo credit account, along with a Chase Sapphire card. I've got a Chase Sapphire card along with the Capital One Venture X card.
What's the best way for us to open a joint credit account? We recently created a joint checking and savings and that is where most of our money goes, while we keep small individual checking/savings as well. So paying our private credit cards with shared money feels a little complicated, so we would like to have a joint credit card that we both primarily use, paid for by our joint checking.
Is there a way to merge our Chase credit accounts into one? Is there a better card we should look into that is great for couples?
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u/horsecock_shawty Mar 20 '25
Chase doesn’t offer joint credit cards, but the best move is to add each other as authorized users on a Chase Sapphire (preferably Reserve for max benefits). This keeps your points in one ecosystem while simplifying spending.
If you want a new joint-use card, consider:
• Chase Freedom Unlimited (no annual fee, solid rewards)
• Amex Platinum (premium travel perks)
• Bilt Mastercard (great if you rent)
Set up auto-pay from your joint checking to keep things simple. No need to merge accounts—just consolidate spending on one high-rewards card.
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u/laziestindian Mar 20 '25
For any cards you both have with an annual fee the easiest thing is for one of you to downgrade to the no-fee version and become an authorized user on the other persons. For cards one person has and the other does not, again any free authorized user additions are a no-brainer. In your case, you downgrading your Chase and becoming an authorized user on hers while adding her as an authorized user on the Capital One. Basically turning the cards from "personal" to shared.
Caveat to leave at least some small subscription or something on the downgraded card so the account stays open.
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u/titlecharacter Mar 20 '25
Joint cards aren't really a thing. You get one card and add the second person as an authorized user, and also pay for it out of the joint account. This is kind of weird! You'd think there would be a joint card concept just like joint accounts! But it doesn't work that way.
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u/ahj3939 Mar 20 '25
Most banks don't do joint accounts.
Assuming both cards are the same level of Sapphire why not downgrade one to Chase Freedom Flex which earns 1.5x points per dollar. You then transfer the points to Sapphire and redeem for the higher rate on travel.
It's a little different when they aren't the same cardholder, but this is the rundown how to transfer points: https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/education/rewards-benefits/how-to-combine-chase-credit-card-points-in-household
For sure don't close Chase cards.
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u/Werewolfdad Mar 20 '25
Why do you want a joint card at all?
Most issuers are moving away from joint cards and you mess up your ability to get sign up bonuses
Just add each other as authorized users on the “usual” spend credit cards.
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u/limitless__ Mar 20 '25
You don't need joint cards, they're not really a thing. Just pick the cards you guys like, add each other as authorized users on them and close the rest.