Are you ready to tie the knot, but not so sure you want to tie your finances to your sweetheart’s? Like it or not, marriage and money absolutely go together. When you share your life—and a bank account—with another person, there’s no doubt that you’re in it together. But what many people don’t realize is that despite how many aspects of your life blend together when you get married, your credit report is not one of them.

It’s true: getting married won’t change your credit score for better or worse.

Why is this? Credit histories are based off of Social Security Numbers. You might take your spouse’s last name when you marry, but you never lose the SSN you were born with. This spells excellent news for partners who have differing credit histories and don’t want to lose a high credit score. As an added benefit, the spouse with the higher credit score can in some instances apply alone for loans or mortgages to get a better deal.

But just because spouses maintain their individual credit scores doesn’t mean they’re off the hook as a couple. Joint accounts—ones with both of your names on it—will appear on each of your individual credit histories. This is why it’s crucial to be up-front about your finances before you get married. Managing money as a couple can put a lot of stress on the relationship, and divorce can lead to frustrating and expensive financial complications.

So go ahead! Make talking about finances an important part of your relationship from this day forward, and you’ll save yourself the headache and heartache of your financial differences down the road.