Should you care about your partner’s credit score? [Video]

(NerdWallet) – Discussing credit scores with your partner isn’t anyone’s idea of pillow talk. But the conversation can provide important clues about your beloved’s history with money and what your financial future together could look like.

Why do credit scores matter, and are they enough to make or break a relationship? Here’s what couples should know about scores and what else they should discuss when it comes to their finances.

Credit scores can determine whether you and your significant other get approved for loans, what kind of interest rates you’ll get and how much you’ll have to put down for a utility deposit.

“Having good credit is definitely important for affordability for many different things, like when it comes to purchasing a car or applying for an apartment or a mortgage,” says Shamica Joseph, a former financial counselor at GreenPath, a nonprofit credit counseling agency.

Spouses don’t merge credit scores when …