Last month a new dating app launched just in time for Valentine’s Day.
What does it have that Bumble and Tinder don’t offer? It’s a feature that one could imagine only a heartless financial planner could embrace. When you apply for membership to this dating app – appropriately called Score – it runs a credit report to get your FICO score. If your score is at least 675, you’ve passed at least one test to get on to the app where you can find what you can safely assume as financially responsible future mates.
You may groan at the idea behind this app. What could be less romantic than a credit score? Why do we need to let on-time payments, credit utilization ratios, and length and diversity of credit history get involved in matters of the heart? While I don’t believe a person with a few late pays is necessarily an unworthy partner, there’s a lot more to examine here to see if this idea makes sense.
First, let’s consider that 675 FICO score and what that means. According to Experian, this credit score falls in the “lower end of the good range” with an estimated 35% of consumers having a score lower than this. We’re not talking about top-tier credit here. If you’re applying for a credit card or a car loan with a score of 675, you’re generally going to be paying interest rates above those offered to people with the best credit.
It’s also important to consider what a FICO score doesn’t tell you. It doesn’t know if you have a Roth IRA, if you’re saving 15% of your paycheck into your 401(k), if you have enough money in the bank to cover one of life’s emergencies, or if you’re well on your way to saving for that first down payment. It also doesn’t know how much money you’re getting paid.
The most critical behaviors that lead to a good credit score are on-time payments of debt, low percentage use of the credit that has been extended to you, your credit mix, and length of credit history. If you’re organized and disciplined enough to pay your bills on time (and fortunate enough to dodge financial landmines) that will do more than anything to help boost your score. Keeping your credit balances below 30% of your credit limit (and ideally lower than this), will also help keep your score in the higher ranges.
But again, we get back to the question of why should we care about credit scores if they don’t tell us how wealthy a prospective partner is or how much they bring home each year? If you believe the results released by staff members of the Federal Reserve Board, it means a lot. In the working paper “Credit Scores and Committed Relationships,” the authors found that high credit scores were positively correlated to the formation of stable committed relationships. The paper also concluded that a credit mismatch between partners was predictive of a higher likelihood of separation.
Perhaps it’s not hard to see why credit scores can help predict stable relationships. At its core, a credit score is a credit bureau’s take on the likelihood that a person will be able to make their payments on time in the upcoming years. While not infallible, this number can show that you’ve managed your financial affairs responsibly. Of course, life can throw curve balls and normally reliable people can find themselves unable to keep up with their payments. Also, some financially successful people avoid credit entirely and may not have an impressive score.
But consider that good credit scores can help you pass employment checks, lower your homeowners and auto insurance bills, and secure low-interest rates on your mortgage and auto loans. The C in FICO does not stand for Cupid, but all things being equal wouldn’t you rather be with someone financially responsible and compatible with you? As a side note, one of my favorite free resources for FICO scores and credit monitoring is creditkarma.com. That may be a more important step toward a positive romantic future than swiping left or right.
David Gardner is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional at Mercer Advisors practicing in Boulder County. Opinions expressed by the author are his own and are not intended to serve as specific financial, accounting, or tax advice. They reflect the judgment of the author as of the date of publication and are subject to change. The information is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed or warranted by Mercer Advisors. The hypothetical examples above are for illustration purposes only. Actual investor results will vary. Every individual’s situation is unique, and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon before making any investment decisions. For financial planning advice specific to your circ*mstances, talk to a qualified professional. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivers all investment-related services. Mercer Advisors Inc. is the parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and is not involved with investment services.
