I’m 83 and always paid my bills on time and in full — then my entire financial history died with my husband. What am I supposed to do now?

Out of nowhere, she received a notice that her credit card was being closed — and the bank refused to issue her a new one. Unbeknownst to June, her credit card account was in her late husband’s name and she was just an authorized user.

That meant when her husband died, much of her credit history was wiped out. With a limited credit history, June didn’t qualify for a credit card on her own.

The problem with being an authorized user

June’s situation is more common than most people realize, and it can affect anyone whose credit history is tied to a spouse’s.

Being added as an authorized user on someone else’s card does show up on your credit report, and it can help build your score. But there’s a catch: you’re entirely at the mercy of the primary cardholder’s habits. That means if they miss payments or carry a high balance, that damage reflects on you too. And when the primary cardholder dies, that account history can disappear from your credit file entirely — taking years of on-time payments with it.

It’s a particular risk for older women. Many couples of June’s generation managed finances the way she and her husband did: one person (often the primary income earner) handled the bills, the other was added for convenience. There was no reason to think twice about it. Unfortunately, that set up can have unintended consequences down the line.

The lesson for couples today is to make sure both partners have at least one credit card in their own name. It takes minutes to apply and costs nothing if you pay the balance in full each month. But it could save a surviving spouse from starting over from scratch.

How to build your credit from nothing

Building credit in your later years can be challenging, because income is often limited and you may not need loans like a mortgage or car financing that build credit fairly quickly.. Still, there are steps you can take to build credit no matter how old (or young) you are.

Ask for help from your credit card company

If you’re in a situation similar to June’s, the first step is to contact the credit card company and ask to speak with a representative. You may need to ask for a manager or a higher level of support agent, as they often have more leeway to make decisions. Ask whether they’ll make an exception or if providing more documentation will allow the account to be transferred or a new card to be opened.

Become an authorized user

If the bank won’t budge, the next step is to ask a trusted family member, such as an adult child with good credit, for example, to add you as an authorized user on their card. This solves the immediate problem: you’ll have a card you can use.

But it doesn’t solve the underlying issue. As we covered above, being an authorized user builds credit slowly at best, and it leaves you vulnerable to someone else’s financial habits. It’s a short-term fix, not a long-term solution.

Consider a secured credit card

One of the best ways to build credit is with a secured credit card. The borrower puts down a deposit and then is extended a line of credit equal to or slightly above the deposit amount. You can use the card, repay it, and use it again. Over time, you’ll build a credit score that may allow you to be approved for a traditional credit card.

Look into a credit-builder loan

A credit-builder loan is exactly what it sounds like — a loan to help build credit. Like with a secured credit card, the lender holds the funds in a secured account while you make fixed monthly payments. Once the loan is paid off, you receive the money. The primary purpose is to establish a payment history, which is the single biggest factor in your credit score.

There’s one more option: look for lenders that use cash-flow underwriting to make lending decisions. This is becoming more common, and it allows lenders to see how you make and spend money, which may make it easier to gain access to credit.