{"id":824837,"date":"2020-01-22T22:31:54","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T03:31:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/?p=824837"},"modified":"2026-04-09T11:45:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T15:45:59","slug":"sexually-transmitted-debt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/personal-loans\/sexually-transmitted-debt","title":{"rendered":"Sexually transmitted debt"},"content":{"rendered":"

When picking a long-term partner, we all have our dating red flags and deal breakers. While some are obvious, like bad behaviour or poor communication, others can take longer to uncover. There\u2019s one red flag you really ought to consider before you shack up. It\u2019s not the number of people they\u2019ve slept with or their crazy ex-partner \u2013 it\u2019s actually the amount of debt they could potentially offload.<\/p>

Sexually transmitted debt (STD) is a reality for just under a third of Canadians. According to a new Finder survey, 31% of respondents say they\u2019ve taken on some form of debt from a partner. We\u2019re not talking about spare change, either. The average amount of debt Canadians have \u201ccaught\u201d from their partners is $17,417, equating to an estimated national toll of $160 billion.<\/p>

How are people acquiring sexually transmitted debt?<\/h3>

Thinking of combining your bank accounts? You might want to think again. The most common way people acquire sexually transmitted debt is from purchases made via a joint bank account. Over a third of Canadians who\u2019ve inherited a debt say the joint bank account is to blame (34%), followed closely by people who\u2019ve had purchases made specifically in their name (32%). Others say their debt was the result of a divorce settlement (12%) or their partner passing away (5%).<\/p>

Another 18% of people surveyed say they inherited debt for other reasons, such as a family debt owed to in-laws. One man simply put \u201clong story\u201d. Enough said!<\/p>

Most common types of sexually transmitted debt<\/h3>

Credit card debt tops the list, with more than half of inflicted Canadians (52%) taking on debt from their partner swiping and tapping away. Personal loans (20%), borrowing from family and friends (16%), auto loans (13%) and mortgages (12%) are also common forms of partner debt to take on.<\/p>

Other forms of debt acquired from romantic partners include payday loans (9%), student loans (9%), home equity loans (5%), medical bills (4%), and business loans (3%).<\/p>

Who\u2019s most likely to catch a sexually transmitted debt?<\/h3>
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Gender<\/h4>

Men and women are equally likely to take on a sexually transmitted debt, but the similarities end there. Women take on significantly more debt than men \u2013 on average, women take on a whopping $23,557, while men take on less than half that, at just $10,972.<\/p>

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Generation<\/h4>

Younger generations have inherited the least amount of debt. On average, generation Z has contracted a debt of $1,982, while baby boomers have acquired the highest average debt, at $28,277.<\/p>

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It\u2019s not all bad news for boomers though, as they\u2019re actually the least likely generation to take on debt from a partner. Just one in five boomers admit to STD compared to two in five people from generation Y (43%).<\/p>

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Region<\/h4>

Across the country, British Columbians have caught the most amount of debt ($26,607), followed closely by Albertans ($26,077), Ontarians ($14,968) and Quebecers ($8,044).<\/p>

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How does Canada\u2019s sexually transmitted debt compare to the United States?<\/h3>

A similar survey<\/a> in the United States found that fewer Americans have taken on a debt from their partner than Canadians. Just 16% of Americans have some form of sexually transmitted debt, compared to 31% of Canadians.<\/p>

However, Americans tend to take on more debt from their partners, with an average sexually transmitted debt of $23,238 \u2013 almost $6,000 more than Canadians.<\/p>

How to prevent sexually transmitted debt:<\/h3>

The good news is you can protect yourself from an unexpected STD. Here are a few tips to follow:<\/p>