You know the meme going around about making sure to check someone's credit before getting involved with them? As funny as it seems, it actually raises a serious point. When you decide to share finances with someone - whether it's moving in together, getting engaged, or especially getting married - you need to make sure you're on the same page financially.
Their credit score and history will give you a glimpse of the skeletons in their financial closet. It may seem awkward to bring up at first, but it's so important to discuss finances openly if you want to avoid issues down the road.
What you see on their credit report today could easily become your problem, too. So, while the meme is hilarious, the underlying message is no joke - have that talk about credit before you say, "I do!"
Contents:
- The Importance of Checking Your Partner's Credit Score
- What Happens If You Neglect Checking Your Partner's Credit Score
- What Your Partner's Credit Score Says About Them
- Having the "Money Talk" Before Getting Serious
- Setting Shared Financial Goals With Your Partner
- Don't Say "I Do" Before Checking Their Credit Score FAQs
- Conclusion
The Importance of Checking Your Partner's Credit Score
Is it true that a credit score matters even when choosing a lifelong partner? As someone who has helped repair people's credit for 17 years, I agree with this!
I mean, if you really want to know somebody’s financial past and skeletons in the closet, check to see what their credit score is. Joke around or be serious about it—it’s up to you. But if you want to know where somebody stands today and what you’re getting into, look at their credit. Because those finances will be yours at some point, especially if you marry them.
So I highly recommend you know it’s no joking matter when it comes to finances. Both people have to be on the same page to budget correctly, spend money wisely, invest, save for their family, and align goals.
I tell my clients to ask their partner what their score is and see what they say. It’ll make a huge difference in your future, especially when getting serious. If that person doesn’t align with your financial goals, it’s better to know now. Meme or not, it’s important stuff.
For example, I had a client, let’s call her Jenny, who didn’t check her fiancé’s credit before the wedding. A few months in, they wanted to buy a house but her score was too low to qualify for a mortgage. Turned out his score was terrible due to unpaid debts and bad spending habits. If Jenny had known, she could have made a plan to rebuild their credit before marriage. Instead, they’re still renting and trying to fix the mess.
The moral of the story is that it may feel awkward, but have an honest talk about finances before you tie the knot. Get credit reports and scores, look for any issues, and make a plan to resolve them. Align your financial goals and spending philosophies. It’ll save you headaches—and heartbreak—down the road. After all, you’re not just marrying the person; you’re marrying their financial habits too.
What Happens If You Neglect Checking Your Partner's Credit Score
Neglecting to check your partner's credit score before making significant financial commitments can have serious consequences. Here's what could happen if you skip this crucial step:
Surprise Debt Burdens: Without knowing your partner's credit history, you might be blindsided by significant debts they carry. This could include unpaid loans, maxed-out credit cards, or outstanding bills that you'll become responsible for once you're financially intertwined.
Limited Financial Options: If your partner has a poor credit score, your joint financial options can be limited. You may struggle to qualify for loans, credit cards, or favorable interest rates, hindering your ability to achieve shared financial goals.
Strained Relationships: Discovering hidden financial issues after committing to a relationship can strain trust and communication. Resentment may build if one partner feels misled or burdened by the other's financial problems.
Difficulty Achieving Goals: Financial goals like buying a house, starting a family, or saving for retirement may be delayed or derailed if one partner's credit score presents obstacles. This can lead to frustration and disappointment as you struggle to achieve your shared dreams.
Unequal Financial Contributions: If one partner has a significantly lower credit score, it may fall on the other to shoulder more financial responsibility. This imbalance can create tension and resentment in the relationship, particularly if it's perceived as unfair.
Risk of Financial Instability: Ignoring your partner's credit score can increase the risk of financial instability in your relationship. Unexpected expenses or emergencies may become more challenging to manage if you're already dealing with existing debt or poor credit.
Missed Opportunities for Improvement: By neglecting to address any financial issues early on, you miss out on opportunities to work together to improve your financial situation. Open communication and shared goal-setting are essential for overcoming financial challenges as a couple.
So you understand now? Why this topic truly matters! Neglecting to check your partner's credit score can have far-reaching implications for your relationship and financial future. It's essential to have open and honest conversations about money early on, ensuring that you're both on the same page and able to navigate any challenges together.
Don't let financial secrets undermine your relationship—take the time to understand each other's financial situation and make informed decisions for your future together.
What Your Partner's Credit Score Says About Them
I have given lots of advice about credit scores, and this is my favorite.
"Check your partner's financial state before committing." A person’s credit score gives you insight into their financial responsibility and stability.
Before you dive into a serious relationship, ask your partner if they’re willing to share their credit score and report with you. How they respond will tell you a lot. If they’re evasive or refuse to share the information, that’s a major red flag. Honest, financially responsible individuals will be open to having an in-depth discussion about their credit and financial goals.
A low score, especially below 600, often indicates a history of late or missed payments, high credit card balances, liens, judgments, or even bankruptcy. If that’s the case, you’ll want to understand the circumstances behind their financial struggles and see evidence that they’ve made progress in paying down debt and improving their score over time. Consistency is key.
On the other hand, a good score in the mid-700s or higher shows your partner has a proven track record of paying bills on time and keeping low balances. They likely have their finances in order and are in a good position to build wealth together as a couple.
At the end of the day, a credit score is just a number. What matters most is that you and your partner share the same financial values and are willing to work as a team toward shared goals. However, their score and report can provide important insight into their level of fiscal responsibility before you take the big plunge into marriage or buying a home together. After all, their credit and spending habits will soon affect you, too.
So go ahead and ask about their score. A little awkward conversation now could save you both a lot of financial headaches down the road.
Having the "Money Talk" Before Getting Serious
If you want to know someone’s financial past and skeletons in the closet, check their credit score. It’s a serious matter, as their finances will become yours, especially if you marry.
I recommend checking your partner’s credit score and goals. As a credit expert, I would say, “Both people have to be in sync to ensure we budget correctly, spend and invest wisely, and save for our families." it’s crucial for your future.
Start the Conversation
Ask your partner about their score and goals. Be honest about your own. It’ll make a huge difference when you make future decisions, especially if you get really serious." If goals don’t align, address them now. Compromise and find common ground.
For example, a client came to me with a 650 score and lots of debt. His fiancée had an 800 score and wanted to buy a house. We made a plan to pay off his debt before their wedding so they could get approved for a mortgage, and he promised to let her handle the finances. Two years later, they have an amazing home and financial harmony.
Discuss Your Past Mistakes
Everyone has financial skeletons. The key is learning from mistakes. My take here is if that person’s truly going to align with your financial goals, check their credit." Share any past issues, like bankruptcy, foreclosure, or bad debt. Make a plan to do better and hold each other accountable.
Another client had a recent foreclosure but was now in a stable job. His girlfriend understood they made a budget, and one year later, his score was back in the 700s. Because they were honest and worked together, they built trust and prosperity.
Money matters can make or break a relationship. Have the awkward money talk, set shared goals, learn from mistakes, and compromise when needed. If you start with openness, honesty, and teamwork, you’ll build a lifetime of financial success and partnership. Take it from my own experience: “Just an old saying, it’s pretty serious stuff." The couple that budgets together stays together!
Setting Shared Financial Goals With Your Partner
You know, as a credit expert who’s helped countless clients repair their credit and set financial goals, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be on the same page with your partner. Seeing eye to eye when it comes to money matters is crucial for a healthy, long-term relationship.
Discuss your current financial situation
The first step is complete transparency. Sit down together and share details about your income, expenses, debts, credit scores, spending habits, and financial priorities. Be honest about your weaknesses and strengths. Only by understanding each other's full financial picture can you start planning effectively together.
For example, one of my clients, Jane, found out only after marriage that her husband had significant gambling debts. This caused resentment and made it much harder for them to set joint financial goals. Don’t let this happen to you! Lay all your cards on the table from the start.
Set shared short and long-term goals
Once you have a clear view of your joint financial status, work together to establish some shared goals. Do you want to pay off debt? Save for a down payment on a house? Fund your children's college education? Retire early? Discuss your priorities and come to an agreement on concrete goals with target amounts and timelines.
For instance, another client couple made it a goal to pay off $20,000 in credit card debt within 18 months by cutting expenses and putting any extra money each month toward the balances. They checked in regularly and supported each other through setbacks, eventually eliminating the debt ahead of schedule. Celebrate your wins together, big and small!
Compromise when needed
In a partnership, you won’t see eye to eye on everything. Be willing to listen to each other's perspectives and find compromise. If you disagree on financial matters, focus on shared interests and values to find common ground. Stay flexible and open-minded.
Managing money together is challenging but so rewarding. With honesty, teamwork, and compromise, you can achieve great financial success as a couple. But it all starts with checking those credit scores!
Don't Say "I Do" Before Checking Their Credit Score FAQs
Before diving into a serious relationship or marriage, you need to have an honest conversation about finances—and that includes checking each other’s credit scores. As a credit expert, I’ve seen too many couples encounter financial troubles down the road because they didn’t align on money matters from the start.
Why is their credit score important?
A person’s credit score provides insight into how they handle debt and financial responsibility. If your partner has a low score due to late or missed payments, lots of debt, or other issues, that could spell trouble for your joint finances later on. Even if you have good credit yourself, marrying someone with bad credit can drag down your score and limit your options for loans, credit cards, insurance, apartments, and more.
What should I look for?
In general, aim for a score of 680 or higher, which is considered good to excellent. Look for a history of on-time payments, low credit card balances (less than 30% of the limit), and few recent applications for new credit. If their score or report reveals issues like bankruptcies, foreclosures, liens, or judgments, that warrants a serious discussion to ensure those mistakes won’t be repeated.
How should I bring this up?
Have an open, honest, and compassionate conversation with your partner about reviewing each other's credit and scores before marriage. Explain that you want to go into this new chapter of your lives with transparency and make sure you're both in a strong position financially. Ask to see recent credit reports and scores from one of the three bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. Discuss any issues, determine how to improve or resolve them, and set joint financial goals so you can build a bright financial future together.
While it may feel awkward, checking your partner’s credit before marriage is one of the kindest things you can do for your relationship. By identifying any potential obstacles early on and working through them as a team, you'll establish a solid foundation of trust, understanding and shared financial values to support you for years to come. So don't just laugh at the meme—have the conversation that really matters. Your future selves will thank you.
Conclusion
So there you have it - while the meme of checking your partner's credit score before getting serious is played for laughs, it actually raises a valid point. Their financial history will impact you both down the road, so it's smart to have an open and honest conversation about money early on. We at ASAP Credit Repair have seen thousands of cases like this.
Know where they stand and if your financial values align. It may feel awkward initially, but it's an important part of building a strong foundation. Don't let money secrets sabotage your relationship. Approach it with care, but check that credit score and make sure you're on the same page before saying, "I do." After all, finances are not a joking matter when planning a future together.