Authorized user on 2 accounts discharged in bankruptcy

[kasey227]

Last December, my husband and I filed Chapt. 7, and were discharged March 17 of this year.

My husband had 2 Chase credit cards, which are now shown on his credit reports (from creditkarma) as closed, 0 balance, bankruptcy.

However, I was an authorized user on those two accounts, and my credit reports still show them as open, current, with a balance. I guess that would be great except that the balance on both is 98% of the credit limit, and has knocked my score down considerably.

How do I get rid of those two accounts?

[justbroke]

You open a dispute with the credit bureau(s). Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union all offer online disputes. Please know that the dispute(s) may not work the first time. You may end up writing to the credit bureau(s) if you don't get too far.

[kasey227]

Thanks. So just explain the situation, and give them the BK case #? Appreciate your help!

[justbroke]

Thanks. So just explain the situation, and give them the BK case #? Appreciate your help!

The online disputes typically have generic selections like "account not mine" and things like that. I might select "Account Not Mine"!

[TXskyblue]

I would not dispute tradelines online. Write a letter, and send it CMRRR.

[justbroke]

I would not dispute tradelines online. Write a letter, and send it CMRRR.

If you want it done right the first time, I agree. I typically do online the first time, and followup with a letter if the initial oneline method does not yield the desired result.

[kasey227]

Thanks for the help. I had to order a couple of reports by mail as they couldn't seem to verify us at annualcreditreports. Once I have all reports in hand, I'll get to work on disputes.

Same problem on my husbands credit reports - my account, him authorized user - Chase still showing balance. Guess this is just a thing that Chase does.

Thanks again.

[ValleYum]

I haven't been successful it getting similar entries off of our credit report - because we are married and filed a JOINT BK and live in a community property state. This is what I was told by a USAA "Bankruptcy Specialist" when I had the CSR I was speaking to at first escalate my call - YMMV.

I was also told that had we removed each other PRIOR to filing BK it would not have been a problem and would not have shown up at all.

None of the CRAs removed it when I tried the "Account Not Mine" selection online, either.

[kasey227]

Doesn't sound too promising - maybe Chase bank will be a little easier to deal with. If they won't remove the entries, maybe they would show them discharged in bankruptcy??

What hurts is that Chase hasn't reported to the CRA's on the authorized user accounts since before the BK - so it's showing a high debt ratio for me, not so bad for my husband. Not sure what would be worse - having the high debt ratio, or if they would show it as included it in BK.

Since we kept up with our payments right up until we filed, our credit scores are fairly decent. (Filing was a last minute decision - we decided not to wait.) According to creditkarma - hubby is about 690-700, but because of the high debt ratio, mine is only about 650.

Maybe it would just be best to let it go, see if Chase will report 0 balance like Bank of America.

Sorry for the rambling post - anybody deal with Chase on this kind of matter?

[kasey227]

UPDATE: Chase removed the authorized user accounts from all 3 CRA's for both my husband and myself. EQ & TU had a form to fill out and mail in, they were resolved within 1 week. Had to send a letter to Experian, took them about 3 weeks to respond. Took me a while to get to it, but all is good now!

[ValleYum]

UPDATE: Chase removed the authorized user accounts from all 3 CRA's for both my husband and myself. EQ & TU had a form to fill out and mail in, they were resolved within 1 week. Had to send a letter to Experian, took them about 3 weeks to respond. Took me a while to get to it, but all is good now!

I think I will try again -your success has given me the impetus to do so!


Thànk you!!!!

[kasey227]

ValleYum,
If it's any help - on TU dispute form - I checked "This is not my account","This account is in bankruptcy", "This account is closed", and "other - I was an authorized user on this account"
On the EQ form - I checked "Not Mine", "Account closed", and "other - authorized user on account included in bankruptcy".

On the letter to Experian, I said basically the same.

Probably overkill - but it worked.

None of the CRA's would let me dispute online, they all directed me to dispute by mail.

GOOD LUCK!