Is the Person I've Been Dating Right for Me?

No, blog administrator Lawless, this is not spam. Credit scores are related to dating, as Ana Swanson reports in the Washington Post that credit scores are "eerily good at predicting" success in forming a committed relationship. The higher an individual's credit score, the more likely it is that they form a committed relationship and stay in it. That part could mirror a number of other things. For example, people who are young and not seeking serious relationships, also then to have lower credit scores from less credit experience.

But after a few dates, when you are wondering whether to get a more serious, that is when it's time to demand a visit to annualcreditreport.com. And you should do this on a date together. The difference in credit scores between two dating partners matters--not just the score itself. A closer match in credit scores at the time one started dating is highly predictive of whether the couple stays together. The next time someone asks you "what do you think of her?" you can respond, "well, I barely know them. I'd definitely need to know a credit score to give an opinion."

You might think this research is some forlorn economics PhD's dissertation gone awry, but it from no less than the august Federal Reserve Board. Clearly with the financial crisis over, the researchers there are . . . ahem, stretching themselves. Jane Dokko, Geng Li, and Jessica Hayes are serious researchers, however, and the paper is strong. It contributes to the growing body of research showing the degree to which data collection and analysis have encroached even into the most private parts of our lives.

Comments

[David Bick]

My only comment is your article is not entirely true. There are many reasons for a poor credit score including illness and associated medical bills. Chapter 13 may look bad, but sometimes a person is responsible. Your article is insulting to many folks who are caught between jobs not paying fair wages, insurance that is deteriorating and ruthless lenders. I wonder how much the writer of the article makes per year?

[Ken Doran]

Following up on David Bick's comment, there are also many reasons for a GOOD credit score, which can also be misleading. As bankruptcy debtor's counsel, I have represented many filers with good to excellent credit records/scores. Those records are creditor-oriented metrics, based on the information that they can readily compile; and that does not include much important data. It is absolutely an excellent idea to have a very good idea of a potential partner's financial situation (although I would suggest giving a wide berth on the first date or two). Credit score may in many cases be the best readily available metric -- but that doesn't make it a good one.