Opening a joint bank account is an opportunity to more easily share all or part of the expenses and income. A choice that many French people make when they are in a relationship, in particular on the occasion of a real estate purchase. To limit management costs, it can be tempting to take just one bank card. But beware: this practice is prohibited and is not without its drawbacks.
Sharing the same bank card, a prohibited practice
On the joint account, the tendency is more to have a
only bank card. The proportion of couples with two attached cards is lower
, says Claire Destombes, marketing project manager at Crédit Agricole Île-de-France. However, this choice is normally prohibited, in particular by the general conditions of each financial institution. Indeed, the attached bank card does not exist. Each bank card is nominative: only one name appears on it, and only the holder has the right to use it. In fact, it is forbidden to lend it and give its secret code to a third party, even if the latter is both the joint account holder and the spouse. A principle confirmed by many brands, for example LCL: It is strictly forbidden for the card holder to lend or dispossess it.
, or BNP Paribas: The cardholder is solely responsible for the use of his card
.
Giving your bank card to your spouse is risky
Sharing the same bank card on a common account goes hand in hand with the transmission of the 4-digit secret code which allows payments to be confirmed. However, this can be likened to serious negligence, this code being strictly personal and confidential. Thus, in the event of credit card fraud, the bank can invoke this reason to refuse to reimburse the amounts defrauded. Remember that gross negligence is the main justification for banking institutions for not compensating victims of fraud. In total, nearly 30% of reimbursement requests would be refused according to the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir.
A second risk exists: that the merchant with whom you want to make a payment refuses the transaction. If your name is not on the card, he has the right to do so. However, in practice, this situation remains extremely rare. All the more so with the proliferation of online and contactless payments, situations in which the professional does not see the card and therefore cannot perform this verification.
To have a second bank card, too expensive?
The main reason couples give for taking out only one bank card is the price. An argument which can nevertheless be qualified if we refer to the offers on the market. Many banks offer the second bank card from a joint account at half the price, in particular BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, Banque Postale and LCL. According to MoneyVox, 86 out of 128 retail banks surveyed provide their customers with such a discount. For a high-end Visa Premier type card, you have to count around € 60, instead of € 120. For even more savings, it is also possible to turn to online banks. They offer free bank cards.
– .
