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Is your debt stopping you from finding love?

Would an "I owe you" stop you from saying "I do"?

Roughly 37% of American adults say they would reconsider a romantic relationship due to someone’s debt, according to a recent Finder survey. That means if you’ve got debt, you’re narrowing your dating pool by about 98 million adults.

But what is the biggest debt no-no when it comes to love? Roughly 46% of those surveyed say that debts owed to family or friends would be a deal breaker for a potential romantic partner. The next two biggest debt concerns are for credit card and payday loan debt, both at 43%.

It terms of how much debt is “too much”, payday loans have the lowest threshold at an average of $1,732 being the amount at which people would reconsider a relationship. Owing money to family or friends ($5,246) is the second lowest amount of acceptable debt with auto loans ($13,940) the other podium finisher.

Men are slightly more say no to a date than women if someone is in debt

Close to two-thirds (38%) of men say won’t date someone if they’re in debt, compared to 36% of women. At 44%, credit card debt was the biggest bugaboo for men, while more than half of women surveyed (57%) owing money to friends or family is a romantic deal-breaker. Mortgage debt is a big dividing line between the sexes, with twice as many men (25%) than women (12%) saying they wouldn’t date someone paying off a mortgage.

Women are far more forgiving with how much debt is too much, with the debt threshold for women ($33,868) more than twice that of men ($15,045).

Debt a turn-off for Gen Z

Close to half of Gen Z (44%) say someone in debt is a non-starter for them in the romantic department. Gen X is at the other end of the spectrum at 32%. Both Gen Y and Gen Z say that credit card debt is the No. 1 issue, whereas for Gen X it’s owing money to friends or family and payday loans for boomers.

It terms of how much debt you’re carrying, $7,863 is too much for Gen Z. That number is about six times higher for Boomers: $44,164.

Payday loan debt is the lowest threshold of debt for both Boomers ($902) and Gen X ($1,734). Gen Y will have issues if you owe $934 for medical bills and Gen Z will not pursue a relationship if you owe family or friends an average of $1,994.

Northeast the pickiest when it comes to debt

A little over two in five (41%) of those in the Northeast would swipe left on someone with debt, but if you’re in the West that figure is 34%. Owing money to family or friends is the least acceptable debt for both those in the South (47%) and Midwest (51%), while credit card debt is the top choice for both those in the Northeast (37%) and the West (50%).

Payday loans are the least forgivable debt dollarwise, no matter where you live.

Past Unacceptable Partner Debt Stats

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