Can My Credit Affect My Husband?

Even though marriage has no direct effect on your credit score and you can keep your accounts separate, your credit likely affects your husband. This phenomenon occurs because couples join their financial accounts under the assumption that they will stay together forever. This could help -- or damage -- both credit histories.

Identification

The most common reason a spouse affects another spouse's credit score is that they apply for joint accounts -- there is no such thing as a joint credit report. Payment history on a joint account appears on both you and your husband's credit history. This could boost your husband's credit score if you pay your monthly bill on time, or damage his credit if you miss payments.

Considerations

When your husband applies for a loan and claims an income that includes your income, the lender probably will perform a check on your credit history too. The lender also probably includes your debt obligations in a monthly debt-to-monthly income ratio. A high DTI ratio -- usually more than 35 to 50 percent including the potential loan -- could preclude your husband from acquiring a loan regardless of his credit rating. If you have a poor credit rating, the lender may focus more on your rating than your husband's.

Community Property

Using credit during marriage, even on individual accounts, can still affect your husbands credit rating. In community-property states, which includes some large states like Arizona and California, you share debts with your husband when you took them during marriage. If you default on a loan in, say California, the lender could sue your husband. The civil judgment would appear on his record and damage his credit rating.

Tip

If you have poor credit, you may want to have your husband apply for loans for your family on his own until you improve your credit rating. You can help each other raise your scores while reducing his liability for your debts. For example, your husband can add you as an authorized user on his credit card accounts. This would build your credit rating, but your husband can remove you as an authorized user at any time and you do not have a bill in your name.