A stay-at-home spouse or partner should get the benefit of the bread-winners access to credit.

That’s the message coming out of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which proposed a rule to require financial institutions to consider shared income when a stay-home-spouse or partner applies for a credit card.  CFPB Director Richard Cordray said, “…CFPB is proposing common-sense changes that would facilitate credit access for spouses or partners who do not work outside of the home.”

The CFPB says credit worthy people have been denied credit cards under the current rules and cites Census figures that show 16 million married people don’t work outside of their homes. So if this goes into effect it will make it much easier for people over 21, with good credit, to get credit cards. There’s a 60 day comment period before the rule can go into effect and things could change.