Financial compatibility is becoming a dealbreaker for many young Americans, with recent surveys showing that Gen Z and millennial daters are increasingly scrutinizing each other’s credit scores—and some are willing to lie or go into debt to appear more financially stable.
A survey conducted by the dating app Hily, which polled over 2,000 U.S. users in these age groups, found that nearly one-third said learning a potential partner has an excellent credit score makes that person more attractive. The same study revealed that roughly 20% of Gen Z and about 25% of millennials think dating apps should let users filter matches by credit score.
In response to this heightened focus on finances, some singles are engaging in what experts call “financial future faking.” As described by Fortune, this involves making grand promises early in a relationship about sharing a home, lifestyle, or long-term financial security—without any real intention or follow-through.
This trend is backed by a 2025 Credit One Bank survey of 1,000 Gen Z and millennial adults, which found that more than half admitted to lying about or exaggerating their finances. To keep up appearances, 37% said they would go into debt for a date, with a notable gender divide: 46% of men versus 28% of women said they would do so.
Celebrity divorce attorney Jackie Combs told Fortune that young people are particularly vulnerable to this behavior. “They are dating in an era of unprecedented financial instability, defined by student debt, housing unaffordability, and delayed economic security,” she said.
The financial pressures facing this generation are also shaping broader political debates. For instance, Senator Schumer has recently vowed to revive green energy tax credits and regulate data centers as part of the Democratic majority’s agenda, reflecting the kind of policy shifts that could affect young people’s economic outlook.
Meanwhile, the trend of financial faking underscores a deeper anxiety about stability in a time when even geopolitical tensions—like the ongoing conflict in Iran, which prompted an apology from Tucker Carlson over his support for Trump—can ripple through the economy and affect personal finances.
As dating norms evolve, experts caution that building a relationship on financial deception is risky. “It may seem harmless at first, but it can lead to serious trust issues and even legal problems down the line,” Combs added.
