Here Is What Your Credit Score Says About Your Relationship

Studies have long shown that one of the biggest factors in whether or not a relationship lasts is financial stability. A more recent study conducted by the Federal Reserve is now going one step further to show that the health of a relationship can be determined based on the credit scores of each member of the couple.

Here are a few of the reasons that credit scores are indicative of relationship status:

First, credit scores are generally a sign of an individual’s financial well being. While we know that financial struggles are one of the top causes of divorce, it is easy to extrapolate that someone with a lower credit score is likely going to have ongoing financial distress. This will put more stress on the relationship and means that the relationship is more likely to end.

Second, credit scores are an indication of trust. Banks use credit scores to determine whether a person is trustworthy or reliable enough with their money to repay a loan. This same principal may apply outside of the financial realm to the rest of their life. People who renege on their responsibility to repay a loan may also be less trustworthy in interpersonal relationships. Researchers concluded that even though there is a correlation between lower credit scores and higher breakup rates, the cause of the breakup was not usually about the use of credit itself.

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Third, people tend to attract partners with similar credit levels and strategies. The Federal Reserve study shows that while men and women may have psychologically different relationships with money, they are much more likely to form a long-term relationship with someone who has a credit score close to their own, even without knowing those numbers up front. In general, people with similar credit scores will be significantly less stressed by their partner’s spending habits because they usually approach credit issues in the same way.

Ultimately, a credit score is not a direct indication of what a relationship looks like. However, there is strong evidence that people with similar credit scores will maintain a healthier relationship longer than those who have vastly different credit scores. Even if financial stress is not the primary reason for break ups, credit scoring can paint a picture of how an individual handles all of their responsibilities, and can predict whether or not a relationship will last.