I'm 16 and I work in a bank. Why can I get a credit card in Europe at my age, but in the U.S. I have to wait until I'm 18? I want a card for two reasons: convenience and the ability to start earning good credit early.

— Emma Eligibility

The crux of your dilemma is that you are still a minor and your ability to enter into a binding legal agreement is extremely limited. As a minor child your parents remain largely responsible for your actions.

While it's clear that you are industrious and would no doubt be responsible in your use of credit, if the credit-card companies can't hold you responsible then they're not interested in extending credit.

You could face similar issues about having a checking or savings account listed in just your name, but financial institutions in some states can be more flexible on this point. A MasterCard or VISA debit card issued by your financial institution will provide most of the convenience you're looking for but won't build a credit history.

You could build a credit history by being an authorized user on your parent's credit card, but the payment history of the credit card becomes part of your credit history. They could apply for a new account and have you as an authorized user on that new account with the understanding that you would be the only person that actually uses the card, but they would remain responsible for the bill and would be able to use the credit card since it is their account.

A secured credit card — since it almost always carries a credit limit equal to the amount you've placed on deposit — is a possibility, although you may have to have your parents co-sign on this as well, but it will allow you to build a credit history. You need to verify that the secured card provider will report your payment history to a credit bureau — ideally to all three credit bureaus.

Use Bankrate's Credit Card Search (www.bankrate.com) feature to find a secured card with terms you can live with and discuss your ability to open an account on your own with a company representative.

Don Taylor, bankrate.com

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