TCNJ faculty continue to make meaningful contributions to financial discourse on WalletHub. We’re proud to share that Dr. Tae-Nyun Kim, Associate Professor of Finance, was recently featured in a WalletHub article on credit card requirements and credit-building strategies.
In the article, Dr. Kim explains why most card issuers require a Social Security number (SSN), noting it plays a critical role in identity verification, credit history checks, risk assessment, and regulatory reporting.
He also shares guidance for immigrants establishing credit in the U.S. Tips include seeking out secured cards or credit-building loans, paying balances on time, keeping utilization low, and building credit gradually. Regarding Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, he supports a tiered approach, appropriate for starter or secured cards, but not high-limit or premium products.