80% of Singles Find Admitting Debt Harder Than “I Love You”

As financial transparency becomes an increasingly valued trait in relationships, new research from credit-building platform Loqbox – in partnership with IRL dating platform Thursday – reveals that for many, money remains the final conversational frontier in modern dating. According to the findings, 80% of people find admitting debt to a new partner harder than saying “I love you.”

Loqbox’s survey of thousands of UK respondents paints a clear picture of how attitudes toward financial openness are shifting. Nearly all respondents (98%) agreed that money should be discussed in relationships, and 87% said they would rather date someone “broke but honest” than “wealthy and secretive.” Yet despite this desire for transparency, eight in ten admitted that money has been a source of tension in their relationships, with ignoring debt now cited as a bigger red flag than lying about money.

According to the data, taken from multiple sources and surveys between September and October of 2025, 98% of users agree that money should be talked about in relationships. 80% also believe that money has been a major cause of tension in their relationships, and 87% would date someone who was honest but broke over a wealthy partner who hides things from them. Ignoring debt is the highest of red flags to 36% of users surveyed, with general financial secrecy coming close at 35%. Many younger people also pointed out that lavish, unsustainable spending was also a common reason for relationshisp collapsing.

“Being in a relationship often makes people feel more secure, yet money remains one of the top reasons couples break up and is a major source of conflict,” said Loqbox CEO Dani Palmer. “That paradox tells us everything. We’re not having these conversations early enough, openly enough, or honestly enough.” To challenge that silence, Loqbox has partnered with global in-person dating movement Thursday to launch a new event series titled Thursday Talks, starting with an evening focused entirely on financial honesty in relationships.

The collaboration between Thursday and Loqbox reflects a broader cultural shift where financial compatibility is emerging as a cornerstone of modern dating. As younger generations increasingly prioritize openness over wealth,it becomes increasingly more important to normalize conversations about personal finance as part of emotional connection. If this is a wider trend that user are running into more and more frequently, then it could serve as a major hurdle to many modern relationships – making this kind of education and guidance that much more important.