The latest Experian Consumer Services reveals that half of married adults say credit played a role when choosing a life-long mate. When asked to rank important qualities in a partner, 95% of participants put “financial responsibility” as important, with “physical attractiveness” and “career ambition” following behind at 86 percent and 77 percent, respectively. In fact, when asked about how important it is to have similar goals, married adults rank financial compatibility high on the list, even slightly higher than sex and intimacy. This and other fascinating statistics on marriage and credit are covered in this presentation.

1. 1
EDELMAN BERLAND
Experian Credit Score
Marriage Survey Report
April / May 2014

2. 2 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
WHO HOW MANY ACCURACY WHEN HOW
Married Adults
Nationwide
n=1,010
Margin of Error =
± 3.1%
Data Collection
Occurred
April 16-19, 2014
Online Survey
Methodology
Results are compared with those of an online survey of n=1,000 unmarried adults ages
30-49 nationwide was conducted June 12-17, 2013.
Methodology

3. 3 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
• Married couples value an open dialogue about finances; most discuss their financial goals at
least once per month
• Married adults are more apt to discuss large investments than small, everyday purchases. The average
amount of money they will spend before discussing it with their spouse is $812.
• Women and post-recession couples – those married after the 2008 recession – place greater value on
financial dialogue and are more likely to discuss smaller-ticket items with their spouse.
• Half of married adults say that credit scores were important to them when choosing a spouse
• Credit scores were most important to women and to post-recession couples.
• Half of married couples agree that credit played an important role in their marriage when securing a home
loan or getting a good interest rate.
• Credit scores are the only financial topic that couples do not discuss before their wedding
day
• One in ten married adults have never discussed credit scores with their spouse.
• Post-recession couples are more apt than those wed before the 2008 recession to discuss credit scores
with their spouse before tying the knot.
• Credit scores are a source of stress in one in five marriages.
• Spouses who discussed credit scores before getting married are more likely to agree on how to use credit
as a couple.
• One in ten married couples have been affected by identity theft (14%), have needed a co-signer after their
wedding day (11%) or have needed to borrow money to avoid faulting on debt (11%).
Key Findings

4. FINANCIAL
COMPATIBILITY

5. 5 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
98% 95%
86%
77%
98%
93% 90%
81%
Personality
Compatibility
Financial
Responsibility
Physical
Attractiveness
Career Ambition
Attribute Importance
(Shown: % Important)
Married Unmarried
Married adults value financial responsibility more than physical
attractiveness in a spouse
Q7: How important are each of the following attributes [when considering a long term romantic partner] / [in a spouse]?
(Shown: % Important)
Personality
Compatibility
97% 98%
Financial compatibility 94% 96%
Physical Attractiveness 87% 85%
Career Ambition 69% 86%
Attribute Importance by
Gender Among Married Adults

6. 6 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
98% 97% 96% 95%
77%
69%
44%
83%
95%
91%
95%
78%
63%
45%
Family
goals
Life goals Finances Sex &
intimacy
Career
goals
Religion &
spirituality
Politics
Compatibility Importance
(Shown: % Important)
Married Unmarried
Financial compatibility is important to 96% of married adults and
91% of their unwed counterparts
Q8: [In looking for a long term romantic partner] How important is it for you [and your spouse] to be compatible on each of the following?
(Shown: %
Important)
Family goals 97% 98%
Life goals 94% 99%
Finances 96% 97%
Sex & intimacy 95% 96%
Career goals 72% 81%
Religion & spirituality 64% 74%
Politics 43% 44%
Compatibility Importance
by Gender Among Married
Adults

7. 7 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
89% 85%
72% 67%
43%
35%
86% 84%
51%
36%
91% 86%
60%
35%
88%
48%
34%
Married Unmarried
Positive Attributes
(Shown: % More Attractive)
Negative Attributes
(Shown: % Less Attractive)
Financially
responsible
Pays bills on
time
Maintains a
budget
Open about
personal
finances /
credit history
Has
reasonable
amount of
debt with
plan to pay
off
Knows
his/her credit
score
Q9: How does each of the following attributes influence the attractiveness of a [potential romantic partner] / [spouse]?
N/AN/A
N/A
Spends
beyond
his/her
means
Has large
amount of
debt with no
plan to pay
off
Avoids
discussing
personal
finances /
credit history
Never
checks credit
score
Married couples value openness about personal finances and credit
history more than those who are dating
N/A

8. FINANCIAL BEHAVIORS

9. 9 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Most married couples discuss their financial goals on a monthly
basis, and they are more likely to discuss large investments than
everyday purchases
Q13: Approximately how often do you discuss financial goals with your spouse?
Q11: How likely are you to discuss the following financial topics with your spouse?
Q12: What is the maximum amount of money that you would spend before discussing it with your spouse?
$812
Average amount
married adults
will spend before
discussing it with
their spouse
20%
31%
19%
24%
5%
Financial Goal Discussions
(Shown: % Frequency of
Discussions)
Weekly
A few times a month
Monthly
A few times a year
Annually or less often
64%
96%
Small, everyday
purchases
Large investments
Purchase Discussions
(Shown: % Likely to Discuss)
70%
MONTHL
Y
Gen Y 85%
Post-Recession
82%
Gen Y 77%
Post-Recession
75%

10. 10 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Two in five married adults consider their household finances a
shared responsibility that evolves over the course of a marriage
Q6: Who would you say is primarily responsible for each of the following in your household? Finances
Q15: Please indicate whether you would agree with that statement and whether you think your spouse would agree.
48%
39%
13%
Responsibility for Household
Finances
(Shown: % Definitely/Probably)
Self Shared Spouse
86% 85%
78%
73%
We usually agree on financial
decisions
Our financial decision-making
has changed over the course
of our marriage
Financial Decision-Making Statements
(Shown: % Agree)
I would agree My spouse would agree
Men 53%
Boomers 44%

11. 11 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Most married couples are focusing on saving for retirement or
paying off a home loan, yet many still feel comfortable taking on
additional debt
Q14: Currently, which of the following do you consider to be your and your spouse’s biggest financial goal?
Q15: Please indicate whether you would agree with that statement and whether you think your spouse would agree.
10%
1%
7%
9%
9%
13%
18%
33%
Other
Paying off wedding debt
Saving for a vacation
Paying off student debt
Saving for college education
Saving for a home
Paying off a home loan
Saving for retirement
Top Financial Goal
(Shown: % Selected)
61% 59%
64% 67%
Our bills are overwhelming We feel comfortable taking
on more debt
Financial Decision-Making
Statements
(Shown: % Agree)
I would agree My spouse would agree
Men 62%
Boomers
56%
Gen Y
23%
Gen Y
22%

12. CREDIT SCORES

13. 13 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Nearly half say it was important for their spouse to have a good
credit score; a third considered the impact of their spouse’s credit
on their own finances
Q16: When choosing your spouse, how important was it for him/her to have a good credit score?
Q20: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Before I was married, I considered how a potential spouse’s credit
score could affect my finances.”
14%
35%
30%
20%
Credit Score Importance in
Choosing a Spouse
Very important
Somewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
49%
IMPORTAN
T
33%
considered how a
potential spouse's credit
score could affect their
finances before getting
married
Women 56%
Women 38%
Gen Y 44%
Unmarried Adults:
66% IMPORTANT

14. 14 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Credit scores are the only financial topic that couples do not
discuss before their wedding day
Q10: Please indicate when, if ever, you learned each of these things about your spouse. His/her…
79% 76% 73%
69%
60%
55%
43%
18% 21%
10%
26%
32% 35%
43%
3% 3%
17%
5%
9% 10%
14%
Annual income Spending habits Student loan
debt
Bill payment
history
Long term
financial goals
Retirement
savings
Credit score
Financial Topic Discovery
(Shown: % Learned about Spouse)
Before marriage After marriage Never
Gen Y 56%
Women
46%
Men 19%
Gen X 16%
Boomers
16%

15. 15 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
One in ten married couples have never discussed credit scores;
credit has been a source of stress in 21% of marriages
Q17: Have you ever discussed credit scores with your spouse?
Q20: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements: “My spouse’s credit score / My credit score has been a source of
stress in our marriage.”
86%
12%
2%
Credit Score
Discussions
with a Spouse
Yes No Unsure
21%
79%
Credit Score as a
Source of Stress in
Marriage
Yes No
Unmarried Adults:
48% HAVE
DISCUSSED
CREDIT
SCORES WITH A
ROMANTIC
PROSPECT /
PARTNER

16. 16 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Most Likely to Agree
85% Overall
• Those who have discussed
credit scores (88%)
• Those who discuss financial
goals monthly (88%)
Q20: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “My spouse and I agree about how to use credit as a couple.”
49%
36%
10%
5%
Spousal Agreement on How
to Use Credit as a Couple
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Most Likely to Disagree
15% OVERALL
• Those who have not discussed
credit scores (32%)
• Those who discuss financial
goals less than monthly (21%)
85%
AGREE
Most married couples agree on how to use credit; those with an
open dialogue about credit scores are more apt to agree

17. 17 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
55%
48%
42%
29% 28%
19% 9%
68%
52%
42%
53%
Poor Credit: Areas of Concern
(Shown: % Important Role in Marriage / Potential Impact)
Married Unmarried
%
Credit plays the biggest role in marriages when spouses are
securing a home loan or applying for good interest rates
Q19: [If your long term romantic partner had a poor credit score, in which of the following ways would you be worried it might affect you?] / [In
which of the following ways has your or your spouse’s credit score played an important role in your marriage?]
Securing a loan
to buy a house
Getting good
interest rates
Securing a loan
to buy a car
Managing a joint
credit account
Getting good
insurance rates
Saving for
retirement
Saving for
children’s
college
education
N/A N/A N/A

18. 18 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
63%
54%
49%
32% 30% 24% 10%
59%
47%
42%
25% 25%
17%
8%
42% 44%
37%
30% 29%
16%
9…
Poor Credit: Areas of Concern
(Shown: % Important Role in Marriage)
Married more than 20 yrs Married 5-20 years Married 5 yrs or fewer
%
Couples married over 20 years know that credit plays an
instrumental role in marriages
Q19: In which of the following ways has your or your spouse’s credit score played an important role in your marriage?
Securing a loan
to buy a house
Getting good
interest rates
Securing a loan
to buy a car
Managing a joint
credit account
Getting good
insurance rates
Saving for
retirement
Saving for
children’s
college
education

19. IDENTITY THEFT & CO-
SIGNING

20. 20 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
More than one in ten marriages have been affected by identify theft;
one in five victims say fraud impacted their family’s financial goals
Q21: Please indicate whether you and your spouse have ever encountered each of the following financial situations since getting married: Identity
theft
Q23: To what extent has identity theft impacted your family’s financial goals? [Asked of those who have been / whose spouses have been victims
of identity theft, n=141]
14%
of marriages have at
least one spouse that
has been a victim of
identity theft
7%
13%
37%
43%
Identity Theft Impact on Financial
Goals
(Shown: Victims of Identity Theft)
Impacted a great deal
Impacted somewhat
Not impacted too much
Not impacted at all
20%
IMPACTED

21. 21 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Q21: Please indicate whether you and your spouse have ever encountered each of the following financial situations since getting married.
Q22: Which of the following describes the reason(s) you needed a parent or in-law to co-sign on your behalf? [Asked of those who have required a
parent / in-law to co-sign on their behalf, n=108]
11%
have required a parent-in-law
to co-sign on their behalf
after getting married
11%
have borrowed a significant
amount of money from a
family member to avoid
defaulting on debt
One in ten married couples have required a co-signer since their
wedding day, largely due to having poor credit
6%
24%
34%
45%
Debt from previous marriage
Not been employed long
enough
Insufficient income
Poor credit
Reasons for Needing a Co-Signer
(Shown: Those who Required a Cosigner)

22. KEY SUBGROUP
ANALYSIS

23. 23 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
In line with the dating survey findings, wives place greater value
than husbands on financial dialogue and openness about credit
scores
Q9: How does each of the following attributes influence the attractiveness of a spouse?
Q16: When choosing your spouse, how important was it for him/her to have a good credit score?
Q12: What is the maximum amount of money that you would spend before discussing it with your spouse?
%More
attractive
Is open about his/her personal
finances and credit history
60% 73%
Knows his/her credit history 30% 40%
%Less
attractive
Avoids talking about personal
finances and credit history
44% 59%
Never checks his/her credit score 28% 43%
%
Important
Has a good credit score 43% 56%
34%
42%
25%
28%
52%
20%
< $100
$100-500
$500+
Maximum Amount Spent
Before Discussing with
Spouse
Men Women
$1,231
(MEAN)
$396
(MEAN)

24. 24 © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc. Intelligent Engagement
Q13: Approximately how often do you discuss financial goals with your spouse?
Q11: How likely are you to discuss the following financial topics with your spouse: Small, everyday purchases
Q10: Please indicate when, if ever, you learned each of these things about your spouse: Credit score, Pre-Marriage
Q12: What is the maximum amount of money that you would spend before discussing it with your spouse?
Pre-Recession
Couples (Married
Before 2008)
Post-Recession
Couples (Married
2008 or Later)
Discuss financial goals with
spouse at least monthly
65% 82%
Likely to discuss small,
everyday purchases with
spouse
59% 75%
Discussed credit scores
before marriage
35% 61%
The 2008 recession has made couples increasingly conscious of
the importance of credit scores and discussing finances
26%
51%
23%
42%
38%
20%
< $100
$100-500
$500+
Maximum Amount Spent
Before Discussing with
Spouse
Pre-Recssion Post-Recession
$1,022
(MEAN)
$256
(MEAN)