If you're planning a date for Valentine's Day, you'll probably want to avoid talking about money: Most people are so reluctant to engage that they would prefer to discuss other taboo topics like politics or religion.
That's according to a joint survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, conducted by Discover and Match Media Group, in which respondents either had an active dating platform or met their partner online.
"One thing I found interesting is [online daters] don't want to have that money talk," Helen Fisher, chief scientific adviser at Match.com, tells CNBC Make It. "They don't want to have any discussion having to do with money except what kind of job you've got."
A majority of respondents say they are only "slightly comfortable" or "not comfortable at all" with the idea of sharing financial information on a dating app or website.
Overall, 69 percent say they are not comfortable sharing information about their debt and 69 percent say they are not comfortable sharing their credit score. About 64 percent say they aren't comfortable sharing their income and 53 percent say the same of their spending habits.
What's more, 18 percent say discussing finances led to a break up in the past. That may be because money is such a personal and revealing topic, Fisher hypothesizes: "It says so much about you."
She says your financial history could give clues about "what kind of parent you're going be, what kind of friend you're going be [and] what kind of partner you're going be."
Still, one in five Americans never have these conversations with their partner, according to a 2017 LearnVest survey. And that reticence can have a negative impact on their financial health.
"The major benefit of speaking about money is getting the subject out in the open," Greg Heller, founder and chief executive officer of HCR Wealth Advisors, tells NBC News.
"Knowledge is power and people tend to feel a huge sense of relief from discussing their situation and possibly fears with regard to money. This, in turn, allows them to make better decisions, avoid critical mistakes, set attainable goals and demystify the subject of money."
Kate Manfred, vice president of brand communications and insights at Discover, agrees. She tells CNBC Make It that "it's incredibly important to [talk about money] and make sure that you're aligned in your financial outlook early on in the relationship."
Just discussing credit, for instance, could put you on the right track.
"Regardless of your credit score, one of the keys to improving or maintaining your credit health is simply knowing your score and what the factors are that go into the score," Manfred says. "If you know what your credit score is, you can either maintain or improve it."
And, as it turns out, improving your credit may lead to success when it comes to online dating.
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