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Should I Ask My Potential Spouse for a Background Check?

by Susan Paige
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Employers make use of background checks to ensure the suitability of a potential hire. Parents carry out background checks before entrusting the care of their children to anyone. Even potential romantic interest carry out a background check before going on that first date, as a safety protocol. But when it comes to marriages, where couples are supposed to stay together for the rest of their lives, carrying out a background check sounds weird?

However, just as getting a blood test and signing a prenuptial agreement is a common marriage prerequisite, background checks should also be. Here are some reasons you should ask your potential spouse for a background check. 

Get to Know Them

Getting a background check doesn’t mean there’s no foundation of trust. Rather it enables both parties to know exactly who they’re getting married to. It can even be treated as a fun event, like reading their horoscope. 

Even if both parties have disclosed everything about their past, there may still be some disastrous information about one of the partners that they probably don’t even know exists. By carrying out a background check like a national police clearance, such information can be quickly discovered and rectified. 

Ensuring the Financial Stability of The Marriage

The number one cause of argument in a marriage is money. Whether it is the husband nagging about the wasteful spending habit of his wife, or the wife complaining about the gambling addiction of the husband. 

Married couples will pool their funds together, so it’s crucial they have some sense of responsibility. Bad credit history will affect future loans, mortgages, insurance payments, rent, and even employment. Guess what? Both parties will suffer from it. 

This isn’t to suggest that people with bad credit shouldn’t get married. If your spouse disclosed this information, you still need to make sure you understand how severe it is. This will help you prepare better for your financial life ahead. A credit history check will help give insight into the financial responsibilities of the couples. 

Possible Deal-Breakers

There are certain cases of fraud and deception that may dissolve the marriage when discovered. It’s prudent to know if those problems are there now so you can make an informed decision. A background check can help you discover information that your potential spouse may be trying to hide.

  • Identity change

A person that has dumped their old lives, taken on a new name, and started a new life has something to hide. 

  • Current Marriages or Children

The last thing anybody wants is to find out that their spouse is already married. Or that they have children they’ve said nothing about. It’s better to find that out now than a few years down the line. 

  • Criminal behaviors

If a person has a criminal history of violence or is a sex offender, you and the people you care about may potentially be their next victim. But with a criminal history check, such information can be uncovered, and you can act accordingly. 

  • Addictive Behaviors

Addiction to drugs, alcohol, narcotics, and more will have a serious impact on the marriage. It’s important to know about your spouse’s addiction before marriage. 

Wrapping up

Whom to marry is one of the biggest life decisions a person will make. It will impact you physically, psychologically, emotionally, financially for many years down the line. A marriage will only survive if it is built on trust, and trust starts with being completely honest about your past. A background check will help to ensure that.

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