Why Your Credit Score May Predict the Success of Your Relationships

By SheSpeaksTeam Oct 19, 2015

Looking for love? You may want to take a look at his credit score before making any long term commitments. A new study suggests that the further apart you and your potential mate’s credit scores are the more chance your relationship won’t last.

Today reports abot an analysis presented by Brookings Institution, the Federal Reserve Board and UCLA that suggests people who both come into a relationship with higher credit scores have a greater chance of staying together. Couples who both have a lower credit score when they first start dating have a 3 times higher chance of seeing their relationship fizzle out faster.

One of the authors of the study Jane Dokko explains why a credit score may predict the longevity of a relationship. She says, “One possible explanation is the idea that the credit scores don't just measure how likely you are to pay your bills on time, but that particular behavior is generally correlated with more general reliability, or how trustworthy you are.” And when partners have a dramatic difference in credit scores, there may be one irresponsible part of the couple causing disappointment and conflict.

But of course we all know love is not all about finances and being responsible enough to pay bills on time, there’s also a host of other traits that attract us to the ones we love. And credit scores don’t always offer a full picture of how fiscally responsible a person may be. Dokko warns, “It's also important to remember that there are aspects of credit scores that people can't control. If you can't pay your bills because you lose your job, there's not a whole lot that you can do about that, if you got unlucky.”

What do you think of the research suggesting credit scores can predict a more stable relationship?

Do you and your partner’s credit scores match up? Do you think this is important?