This page was originally published in early 2016 and includes expert quotes from that time. The rest of the article has since been updated.
Key takeaways
- Accessing a spouse's credit report without permission or a valid reason is considered fraud or identity theft.
- If you need a copy of your spouse’s credit report, always ask for their permission first or ask them to obtain it and share it with you.
- Sharing credit reports can be beneficial for couples, as it can help them understand each other's financial habits and set financial goals together.
If you’ve opened a credit card with your spouse or bought a car or a house together, you’ve created a shared credit history with your partner. How your significant other handles their finances has a direct impact on you — and your credit score.
But that doesn’t mean you have a right to check up on their credit history without permission. Always ask first. In fact, accessing a credit report that’s not your own could be a form of fraud or identity theft.
“Everyone has their own credit report, and it’s private to them,” says Rod Griffin, senior director of public education and advocacy at Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus.
Federal regulations on checking spouse’s credit report
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act regulates who can access a credit report. It allows credit reporting agencies to provide credit information to people or entities with a “valid reason.” Being married to someone does not qualify as a “valid reason” under this act.
If you access your spouse’s credit report without their permission, it could be considered a form of identity theft or fraud. Keep in mind that this is true even if you’re getting a divorce.
How to obtain your spouse’s credit report legally
Asking your spouse for permission to obtain their credit report can be tricky, according to Bruce McClary, senior vice president of communications for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. That’s because some people view sharing such information as an invasion of privacy even if they’re married.
“It’s not yours to take,” McClary says. “Being married to them doesn’t matter; you still have to get their permission.”
If you do make the request — and McClary says it should be a request, not a demand — be prepared to reciprocate.
This could serve as an excellent opportunity for a financial conversation between you two, discussing your monetary goals and future planning.
If you want to legally access your spouse’s credit report without permission, you’ll need a subpoena or other court order. Rod Griffin says a court order is permissible within the Fair Credit Reporting Act, although a report obtained in this manner likely would be given to the attorneys in your case or the court itself, not directly to you.
How Sharing Credit Reports Helps Couples With Financial Planning
Discussing and sharing credit reports as a couple can help you understand each other’s financial habits and set financial goals together. For example, if one of you has a better credit score, you might decide to apply for credit cards under that person’s name to secure the best rates. Plus, if you notice any errors in either of your credit reports, you can dispute them together.
Spouses should get their reports from all three major credit bureaus — Experian, TransUnion and Equifax — since any one might contain errors, and each likely will contain slightly different information, according to Lili Vasileff, founder of Divorce and Money Matters, a divorce financial planning firm in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Once couples have the reports, Vasileff suggests that:
- Spouses with excellent credit can strategize how to get the lowest interest rates.
- If one spouse has bad credit, they can work together to improve their credit score.
- They can dispute credit report errors that could cause them to pay higher financing costs.
- They can monitor each other’s credit habits, including open credit accounts, high balances and late payments.
- They can make sure they each have credit established in their own names — an important precaution in the case of divorce or a spouse’s death.
If your spouse won’t share their credit report with you, you might have reason to be concerned.
“Hidden in those reports could be credit taken out in your name jointly with your spouse that you had no idea about or a mortgage for a property you didn’t even know your spouse owned,” Vasileff says.
The bottom line
When it comes to accessing your spouse’s credit report, always ask for their permission first. Not only is accessing someone’s credit report without their consent a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, but it can also break the trust between you and your partner. Alternatively, openly discussing and sharing credit reports can be beneficial for married couples, because it can help you understand each other’s financial habits and set financial goals as a team.
FAQs
Accessing a spouse's credit report without permission or a valid reason is considered fraud or identity theft. If you need a copy of your spouse's credit report, always ask for their permission first or ask them to obtain it and share it with you.
How can I check my spouse's credit report? ›
Accessing a spouse's credit report without permission or a valid reason is considered fraud or identity theft. If you need a copy of your spouse's credit report, always ask for their permission first or ask them to obtain it and share it with you.
Is it illegal to look up someone else's credit score? ›
The bottom line
Even those who want access to your report can only ask for it if they have a legally permissible reason to do so. Both the credit reporting bureau and the person seeking access without a “permissible purpose” can be held liable if they breach the FCRA.
Can you check someone else's credit history? ›
In some circ*mstances, government agencies may request your credit report without your permission. In general, an average citizen cannot check someone else's credit report unless they are serving as a legal proxy.
Do married couples have separate credit reports? ›
Credit histories and scores don't combine when you get married. Your credit history and scores are yours and yours alone, and your marital status is not included in your credit reports. But if you have a shared account or you're an authorized user of your spouse's account, you could affect each other's scores.
How can I check someone's credit history? ›
You can access someone else's credit report by directly contacting one of the credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). Each of these bureaus technically gives their ratings independently, but all three of the scores should be quite similar for the same person.
Can my ex husband see my credit report? ›
Your ex-spouse might be able to get a copy of your credit history using your identifying information under certain circ*mstances because he likely knows a lot about you and your credit history. If successful, you would have legal recourse.
Can you sue someone for checking your credit without permission? ›
Can you sue for unauthorized credit inquiries? You do have the right to sue for willful violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). You should consult with an attorney if you are considering this route.
Can you tell if someone has checked your credit score? ›
When you request a copy of your credit report, you will see a list of anyone who has requested your credit report within the past year, including any employers or prospective employers who have requested your report within the past two years for employment purposes.
Who Cannot access your credit report? ›
Who can't see your credit report? Individuals and businesses who do not have a legitimate legal reason or explicit permission cannot access your credit report.
Lenders that check credit reports include mortgage lenders, student loan servicers, credit card companies, auto lenders and companies that issue personal loans.
Can other people find out your credit score? ›
Credit bureaus follow rules that define who can see your credit report and how they can use it. Those allowed to see your credit report include: banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. credit card companies.
Can you see who accessed your credit report? ›
Your consumer credit report also includes a log of who has accessed it. A credit provider or other third party isn't generally able to view this information.
Can I pull my spouse's credit report? ›
It could identify any financial accounts or credit that you might be unaware of. Naturally, this is a powerful piece of evidence, but it is illegal for you to request a copy of your spouse's credit report.
Does my husband's debt become mine? ›
Most states use common law (also known as equitable distribution), which dictates that married couples don't automatically share personal property legally. In other words, you aren't responsible for your spouse's debt unless you took it out together as a joint account, or you cosigned on it.
Will my husband's bad credit affect me? ›
Credit scores are calculated on a specific individual's credit history. If your spouse has a bad credit score, it will not affect your credit score. However, when you apply for loans together, like mortgages, lenders will look at both your scores. If one of you has a poor credit score, it counts against you both.
Is my spouses debt mine? ›
You are generally not responsible for someone else's debt. When someone dies with an unpaid debt, if the debt needs to be paid, it should be paid from any money or property they left behind according to state law. This is called their estate.
How to find out if your spouse has a secret credit card? ›
Check financial records.
Look through bank statements, credit card bills, and other financial records to see if there are any unusual transactions or accounts that you don't recognize.
Is my wife's credit score the same as mine? ›
Credit scores are calculated on a specific individual's credit history. If your spouse has a bad credit score, it will not affect your credit score. However, when you apply for loans together, like mortgages, lenders will look at both your scores. If one of you has a poor credit score, it counts against you both.
Is my credit score linked to my husband? ›
To put it simply, no--credit does not combine with your spouse's when you get married. You will always have your individual credit score. However, as a married couple, you may have some joint accounts. This could affect your credit score — let's get into more detail below.
