Do Credit Scores Matter For Dating? – Episode #25

Do credit scores matter when you are dating? Dating is a time for determining compatibility. You can’t check your date’s credit score, but he or she can check it and discuss it. You want to date someone who has similar values about money as you. Well, maybe. If you are good with money, you want someone who is good with money. But, if you are bad with money, you probably still want someone who is good with money. I used to have friends who wouldn’t date someone with credit card debt. They saw it as a character flaw. I think I learned this from Suze Orman: “just cause you are bad with money, doesn’t make you a bad person”. Having worked at myFICO, I learned that someone’s credit score was more important than their debt status. Why? There are lots of reasons for debt, but being late on payments and doing this repeatedly, is quite a different story. It shows another issue around organization and probably lots of psychological issues I’m not trained to go into.

For the record, I had my wife check her credit score on our third date. I know, perhaps I’m a freak…and yes we are still married. But honestly, it was a relief to see that she had a great credit score. Now, she’s bummed when my credit score is higher.

Something like 80% of divorces are related to money issues. You don’t want to make this mistake and the time to get this right is when you are still dating.