As a co-signer, you will not receive the billing statements for the loan or credit card. At the time you sign, make sure you get the lender's name and other information about the credit account. Although the lender may not contact you unless the primary borrower defaults, you have the right to check with the lender that the account is current.
If you'd like to help someone build credit, consider becoming the primary borrower on a small loan and let the person who wishes to build credit be the co-signer. Ask him or her to pay you so that you can make the payments on the loan yourself. You'll be able to make timely payments and if the co-signer stops paying you, you'll know about it early and can pay the bills yourself so that your credit will not be negatively impacted.
As a co-signer, you will not receive the billing statements for the loan or credit card. At the time you sign, make sure you get the lender's name and other information about the credit account. Although the lender may not contact you unless the primary borrower defaults, you have the right to check with the lender that the account is current.
If you'd like to help someone build credit, consider becoming the primary borrower on a small loan and let the person who wishes to build credit be the co-signer. Ask him or her to pay you so that you can make the payments on the loan yourself. You'll be able to make timely payments and if the co-signer stops paying you, you'll know about it early and can pay the bills yourself so that your credit will not be negatively impacted.