You know what will destroy your credit faster than anything? Divorce.

I researched real estate title in the 90s, and we would look over someone's credit history using the reporting agency microfiche. It was depressing how often I would see the following items, in exactly this order:

Absolutely pristine record

Judgment of divorce

Mechanic's liens and tax liens

Judgments from creditors

Foreclosure notice

Bankruptcy

I found out personally how quickly it can happen. My ex and I had great credit but did not own our home and were carrying a pretty significant amount of medical debt and consumer debt, mostly because of our son's health issues. We separated, and in the nine months where our incomes were separate prior to the divorce, and due to the fact that her attorney made sure that I took all of the debt because she was only a co-signer on our credit cards and medical bills, rather than on the accounts herself, I ended up at the point where bankruptcy was my only option. Then, since she made certain that she did not earn any money during the year leading up to her divorce filing, I was further burdened by the court with support orders.

People go broke gradually and then suddenly.