Marrying someone is always a huge decision. But with the emergence of dating sites and apps, you can never be too sure about your future life partner and any scams or lies. In fact, private investigators in Sydney report that checking your partner before marriage can prevent an awful deal of stress and hassle later on. And since the divorce rate is high, a spouse background check has become a necessity for assurance and peace of mind.
Therefore, in this article, we’ll talk about what a pre-marital background check is and its importance so that you can make the right decision
What Is a Pre-Marital Background Check?
A pre-marital background check involves an investigation against the subject (your potential spouse) related to their financial, personal, and professional standing.
The depth of the investigation depends on your concerns and the local governing laws. If something important is discovered during the investigation, it may require a more in-depth examination.
Usually, pre-marital background checks are conducted for:
- Scams
- Affairs
- Litigation cases
- Criminal history
- Substance abuse history
- Debts
- Bad employment history
- Disability
- Education
- History of severe physical or mental illness
- Drinking habits
- History of failed marriages and divorces
Why Is a Pre-Marital Background Check Important?
You certainly don’t want to marry someone you have uncertainties about. Here are the top reasons why you should get a pre-marital background check.
1. Secure Your Future Together
Knowing about something that’s a huge dealbreaker to you after marriage can make it harder to remain in that relationship. Therefore, whatever questions you have in your mind should be cleared before getting married.
Your potential spouse’s past can have a great impact on your future life. You can only know if a past mistake is big or small by running a background check on them and determining its impact on your future life.
2. Confirm the Identity of Your Future Partner
With the prevalence of online dating, you never know if your future spouse is pretending to be someone they are not. They may be completely hiding their identity.
A background check will give you peace of mind knowing that they told you the truth about themself (or not). If they lied to you about the basics, like age, education, and birthplace, you can’t really expect them to be honest about other things that may matter the most in your relationship.
3. Make Sure Your Partner Has No Criminal History
You may think even if your partner has a criminal history, they may have changed, so it doesn’t matter to you. However, you may still wonder why they kept it a secret from you, which can lead to major trust issues in your relationship.
Without trust, you can’t expect the relationship to work well in the long run. If your partner didn’t disclose it to you, it raises the concern of integrity. On the other hand, criminal history records are usually not a good sign. Therefore, a pre-marital background check will help you determine the truth before tying the knot.
4. Confirm Marital Status
It’s better to be direct with your future spouse and ask if they are married. Their body language or hesitation in replying can raise your suspicion, and that’s when running a pre-marital background check will be beneficial for you.
This way, you can be sure of their marital status before you get married and not be heartbroken later. You will also be able to know if they have huge financial responsibilities as well, such as child support.
5. Know About Your Potential Spouse Bad Finances
Financial issues are one of the main reasons why people get divorced. Your potential spouse may be hiding their poor financial standing, and this can lead to problems in your marriage later on.
A pre-marital background check also lets you assess if your future spouse is in a state of bankruptcy or is in severe debt. Of course, once you get married, these issues will affect many aspects of your marriage. Hence, it’s better to know about it now and devise smart decisions.
6. Get to Know Their Family
Family problems can also affect your relationship. Therefore, it’s imperative to get to know the family better, so you know how to deal with them better.
Pre-marital background checks can help you learn about your future spouse’s family and relatives, even if your partner isn’t willing to introduce them. This will help you manage your relationship better down the line.
Further reading: Trouble shooting tips for blended families.
