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How to Transfer a Balance From Someone Else's Credit Card

7 min read

Published September 9, 2025

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Key Takeaways

Transferring someone’s credit card balance to a lower-interest card may help them manage their debt, but it also puts you at risk of incurring debt of your own.
Other options include a cash advance and a personal loan.
Lending or gifting the other person funds from your bank account to cover their balance may pose less risk to your credit score than a balance transfer.

If a friend or family member is struggling to manage their high-interest credit card debt, you may be able to help by transferring their balance to your credit card. But a balance transfer may also come with significant risks. Let’s explore the advantages, drawbacks, and some alternatives to balance transfers, so you can make an informed decision.

Can you transfer a balance from someone else's credit card?

Yes, you may be able to transfer a balance from someone else’s credit card to a new account in your name. But keep in mind that transferring someone else’s balance leaves you responsible for their credit card debt. Before you proceed, it’s important to make sure you’re either able to pay down the balance on your own or confident that the other person will make all the necessary payments.

Before you commit to a balance transfer, you and the person whose balance you’ll be transferring should agree on the transfer method and establish a repayment plan (unless you’re paying off the entire balance on your own). Committing these agreements to writing can help you avoid any misunderstandings about the arrangement in the future.

How to transfer a credit card balance from someone else's account

There are several strategies for transferring a credit card balance from someone else's account. Each approach has unique benefits and risks, so it’s important to consider your options carefully.

Balance transfer credit card

A credit card balance transfer allows you to move a balance from one credit card to another.

Many credit card issuers offer balance transfer promotions with low introductory annual percentage rates (APR) or even 0% APR for a period after account opening. With a lower interest rate, more of each payment can go toward the balance, making it easier to repay.

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You may need a strong credit score to qualify for a balance transfer credit card offer. If someone you know and trust needs relief from their high interest rate but doesn’t qualify, you may be able to open a new account and transfer their balance to your card. As the primary cardmember, you’ll have to initiate the balance transfer request over the phone or through your card issuer’s online banking tool.

Ideally, transferring someone’s credit card balance makes their debt more manageable by minimizing interest. But once the introductory period ends, the remaining balance begins accruing interest at the card’s standard rate. So, it’s important to pay as much of the balance down as possible during the intro period after account opening.

Using a balance transfer credit card offer comes with some distinct benefits:

Your loved one can avoid high interest charges during the promotional period.
If you only have installment loans, opening a balance transfer credit card may improve your credit mix and potentially boost your credit score.
Whether you or the other person pays the bills, all timely payments on the account may benefit your overall payment history.

However, you should keep the following disadvantages in mind:

Credit card issuers usually charge a fee for balance transfers, which may offset some benefits.
Not all credit card companies allow you to transfer someone else’s balance.
You may not qualify for a high enough credit limit to transfer the entire balance.
The added balance may hurt your credit score by increasing your credit utilization ratio.
Missed or late payments will appear on your credit report, likely hurting your score.

Take a cash advance

If you don’t want to apply for a credit card balance transfer offer, a cash advance may work instead. A cash advance allows you to borrow cash against your card’s line of credit. You can think of a cash advance as a small short-term loan that you’ll have to repay with interest.

Depending on your available credit, you may be able to withdraw enough cash to cover the other person’s outstanding balance and ask them to repay you in installments over time. You can use those repayments to pay off your cash advance, restoring your credit limit.

A cash advance offers some unique advantages:

You can cover someone else’s balance using a cash advance without opening a new credit card account.
The cash advance process is relatively quick and straightforward compared to a balance transfer.
You don’t always need a strong credit score to qualify for a cash advance.

But before you opt for a cash advance, make sure you understand the drawbacks:

You can typically only withdraw a percentage of your credit limit, which may not cover the total balance.
Cash advances typically come with transaction fees.
Many credit card companies charge a higher interest rate for cash advances than other transactions. Plus, interest may start accruing right away—even if you repay the balance by the first due date.
Like a balance transfer, a cash advance increases your total credit utilization.

Personal loan

You may take out a small personal loan to help someone else manage their credit card balance. If you have a stronger credit score than the other person, you might qualify for better personal loan interest rates and more favorable terms.

As with the other methods, you’d be responsible for repaying the personal loan balance. You might make arrangements for the other person to repay you in installments. But if they don’t hold up their end of the agreement, you still have to repay the loan on time to avoid negative consequences.

Personal loans may offer some advantages:

If you already have credit cards, a loan may improve your credit mix and help your credit score.
Timely payments each month may bolster your overall payment history.
Personal loans may not charge additional fees.

But personal loans also have some drawbacks:

A new personal loan application generally involves a hard credit inquiry, which may hurt your credit score.
Some personal loans have high interest rates.
You may incur significant penalties for missed loan payments.

Did you know?

If a former high credit card balance has hurt someone’s credit score, you may help them rebuild their credit history by adding them as an authorized user on your credit card. Plus, their purchases may earn rewards.

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Can you pay someone else's credit card using another credit card?

Most credit card companies don’t allow you to make payments with a credit card. You may get around this by either using a cash advance or sending money from your credit card through a money transfer app, but these options may come with high fees.

The bottom line

Technically, you can transfer a balance from someone else’s credit card account, but it’s not always the best option for helping someone manage their credit card debt. Before you make a balance transfer request, both parties should understand the risks and potential alternatives.

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