A spouse with heavy debt or a poor credit rating can also negatively impact your credit score as well, something else to consider... Additionally, a friend with a new wife encountered a similar situation as yours. He paid off her substantial debt, and she hasn't been seen since... The joke about seeing each other's credit report before marriage, even serious dating, is no joke. Then there is the old saying "First time for love, second time for money, do it right the first time..."