Credit scores could be a sign of a committed relationship

Couples with a large credit score gap are more likely to split up, new research has found

Couples with similarly high credit scores had a better chance of staying together (Slavek Ruta/REX Shutterstock)

A person's credit scores could indicate whether they will have a committed relationship, according to new research.

The US Federal Reserve Board study found people in a committed relationship “have credit scores that are highly correlated with their partners’ scores".

At the time of forming a committed relationship, the average credit score for individuals was 660. Although this was 20 points lower than the overall average, researchers said it was likely to reflect “the younger-than-average age of those forming committed relationships”.

The study, ‘Credit Scores and Committed Relationships’, also found scores tended to become more similar for those in longer-lasting relationships.

Conversely, couples who had a larger credit score gap at the beginning of their relationship were more likely to split up.

The authors said poorly matched couples could face financial distress - such as struggling to manage debt, pay bills or save for a rainy day fund - which could explain why they separated.

“With the growing importance of household credit, credit scores have become a prominent characteristic of individuals that extends to areas outside the household finance sector," the authors said.

Through tracking the credit scores of millions of people in the US over a 15-year period, researchers also found evidence of a link between credit scores and trustworthiness. It implied that different scores could "reflect a mismatch in couples' trustworthiness".