Parents looking to introduce their teenagers to credit cards may want to take a look at Bilt’s latest update. The company has just expanded its authorized-user program by lowering the minimum age to 13 and adding new controls that let primary cardholders decide where an authorized user’s rewards are deposited.

Authorized users aren’t exactly a groundbreaking credit card feature, but these updates make Bilt a more practical option for families.

Here’s what you need to know. 

 

What’s New for Bilt Authorized Users?

If you’re a Bilt cardholder, you can now add up to five authorized users at no additional cost. Authorized users who are at least 13 years old receive their own physical card and can access it through the Bilt app.

To add an authorized user, go to the Wallet tab in the Bilt app and enter the person’s name, email address, and date of birth. Once the invitation is accepted, your authorized user can create a Bilt account—or sign in to an existing one—to activate their card.

Bilt has also added tools that let primary cardholders temporarily lock an authorized user’s card, remove users from the account, and view transactions by cardholder. That makes it easier to keep tabs on spending without removing someone from the account entirely.

 

More Flexibility for Rewards

One of the more interesting parts of the update is how Bilt handles rewards. Primary cardholders can choose whether points earned from an authorized user’s purchases are deposited into their own Bilt account or the authorized user’s account. That gives households the ability to either pool their Bilt Rewards points for a larger redemption or let each person build their own balance.

 

A Family-Friendly Update

Lowering the minimum age to 13 gives parents another option for introducing responsible teens to credit cards. Later this year, Bilt plans to begin reporting credit history for authorized users ages 18 and older. Until then, families can still use the feature to teach responsible credit habits before teens are ready to manage an account on their own.

 

Bottom Line

Adding authorized users isn’t a revolutionary feature—it’s something many rewards cards have offered for years. Still, lowering the minimum age to 13 and giving cardholders more control over rewards makes Bilt a more compelling option for families.