Since credit reports record an individual's credit history, not a couple's history, changing your marital status doesn’t directly change your credit score.  For example, marrying someone with a lower credit score will not bring down your better credit score and vice versa. However, if you make joint applications for a loan, the loan provider will consider both of your individual credit scores when deciding whether to grant the loan, and the loan will appear on both of your credit reports.  

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However, liability is often shared when two people marry.  For example, if a husband is sued for an unpaid debt, the wife could have her wages garnished to pay the debt.  It’s well worth speaking to an attorney if liability is a concern before marriage, since a good Prenuptial Agreement can help address this issue.

Note that if you divorce, and you have shared debts with a spouse from a previous marriage, you are not relieved from these debts after the marriage ends.  This is because you both promised to pay, as a couple and as individuals, when you signed the loan or credit card agreement. Even if your divorce decree says that the other spouse is responsible, you still have a legal responsibility to uphold the original agreement you entered while married.

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