Dear Experian,

What does “maker” mean on a credit report?

- DPO

Dear DPO,

The term “maker” is a term that refers to your relationship with an account that has a co-signer. In credit reporting parlance, it is called your account association.

As the “maker,” or “signer,” of the account, you are the primary account holder and are responsible for the payments on the account. The “co-maker,” or “co-signer,” has agreed to take responsibility for the account payments if you fail to pay them.

You might see “signer” and “co-signer” on your credit reports in place of “maker” or “co-maker.” Other account associations include individual, joint, and authorized user.

Thanks for asking.