Are you getting married in 2020? Congratulations! This is incredible news and a great start to a new decade. We’ve just got one question for you: how well do you really know your fiancé? Many might say that they know their partner very well, extremely well even. While others might pause over this question. Regardless of your answer, if you’re tying the knot in 2020 you might want to consider getting a background check done before you say, ‘I do’.
What is a Background Check?
A background check is a great way to find out whether or not someone is lying to you about who they are, where they’ve come from or what they do as a profession.
For example, many companies run background checks on potential employees. The reason for this might be that the company is a daycare centre. Daycare centres need to make sure their employees do not have a criminal record or history of violence that involves children. Another reason for a background check might include a company looking to hire a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The company doesn’t want to hire anyone who might have been previously arrested for fraudulent activities. The same logic can be applied to the person you plan to marry in 2020. You want to make sure that your fiancé isn’t lying about anything important. Running a background check will help to uncover the truth before you make a very big commitment.
But … Why Bother with a Background Check Before I Get Married?
Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to tell whether or not your partner has any dark secrets they wish to keep buried. In most cases, a background check won’t reveal anything especially sinister. After all, human beings are inherently good and don’t wish anyone any harm. However, in some situations, the opposite is true.
You’ve likely seen news articles detailing catfishing incidents. You’ve also likely read or heard of other situations. Situations where someone ends up trying to get hitched to someone who ends up already being married in another province. What if your partner refuses to tell you about his or her past? How can you be sure they aren’t hiding a violent criminal record?
If any of the above situations make you stop and think, don’t delay. Get that background check off your list before you say, ‘I do’.
Where Can I Get a Background Check?
There are many places where you can go to request a background check. One of the best and most thorough companies that provide background checks include private investigation agencies.
Private investigators who work for reputable private investigation agencies will provide you with the best background check services. The private eye you hire will be able to discreetly investigate your partner’s past to uncover any deal-breakers that might stop you from walking down the aisle.
When a private investigator runs a background check, they look for things that include,
- Past Education
- Credit History
- Ownership of Property
- Vehicle
- Criminal Record
- Employment Records
The most important thing to remember when hiring someone to run a background check is to make sure he or she isn’t running a scam. It’s incredibly easy for anyone to say that they know how to run a background check. It takes a trained professional to run an accurate and thorough background check. He or she will know every avenue of where and how to look for important background information.
It’s also important to note that a good private investigator will never break the law when it comes to running a background check. In some cities and provinces, it isn’t possible to obtain some types of financial information. For example, a private investigator cannot enter you or your fiancé’s home to dig through private bank statements. It also means that you shouldn’t try to access your partner’s bank accounts without his or her knowledge. If there is something off about your fiancé’s finances, a private investigator will find out during their (legal) background check investigation.
Background Checks: The Truth, and Only the Truth …
If you’ve done the groundwork, you will have hired a good private investigator. A good private investigator is only interested in providing you with facts about your fiancé. Good private investigators do not makeup information or lie about the information he or she has found.
When a good, licensed private investigator does a background check for a client, he or she will never lie or hide the truth. A good private investigator will also conduct his or her investigation discreetly and privately. This is a good thing. You’ll rest easy knowing that the information a private investigator provides is only the facts. Nothing more.
In most cases, a background check reveals what you already know. Your fiancé isn’t a liar, nor do they mean you any harm. It’s a positive thing. Hiring a private investigator to run that background check will ease any doubt from your mind, before you say, ‘I do’.
What Happens Next?
Once a private investigator completes his or her thorough background check, he or she will provide you with a report. The report will reveal information about your future husband or wife. Again, in most cases, the information won’t come as a surprise. However, in some situations, you might learn something about your fiancé that you just can’t move past
The good news is, running a background check before you say ‘I do’ means that you have time to pause your plans. You can really consider whether or not you want to get married. Once you walk down the aisle and say those two words, it makes life a little more difficult. The question you need to ask yourself is, isn’t it better to know now than to have to go through an annulment or painful divorce?
Only you can answer that question for yourself! Hopefully, by reading this article you’ve at least thought about whether or not you truly know the person you plan to say ‘I do’ within 2020.
About the Author
Whitney Joy Smith
Founder of The Smith Investigation Agency in 2014, Whitney Joy Smith’s extensive background as a private investigator is matched only by her passion for the role. A graduate of several respected institutions, including Northwest Florida State College and George Brown College, her early years in life were spent between Canada and the United States. This education, along with her formative years as a private investigator in various agencies, informed much of her knowledge of private investigative laws, regulations, and operating standards in both countries.
The recipient of numerous industry awards and accolades, including the Consumers Choice Award, Best in Ottawa, and many others, Whitney takes pride in working closely with her ever-growing agency to raise the bar, maintain compliance, and meet the investigative needs of clients. Whitney is active in various membership and supporting roles, including the CPIRC, CBN, CAPI, Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and many others. Her experience-driven, thought-provoking articles have been featured in everything from Readers Digest to Business News Daily, and she strives to continually redefine standards for those in the private investigative and security fields. Learn more about Whitney and the team at The Smith Investigation Agency today.
