Last Updated on Apr 7, 2020 by James W
First comes the romance, then comes marriage and then a happily ever after? To make the happily ever after a financially stable ever after, it’s important for the newlyweds to learn how to work together on their finances.
It may sound unromantic, but the number 1 cause of stress in a marriage according to SunTrust Bank.
For many couples, the question of finances remains an off-the-table topic all the way up to the wedding. That’s a problem, as financial intimacy may be jeopardized with the first problems.
The financial partnership needs a solid base, in order for it to start off on the right foot.
1. Share your assets and debts
If you haven’t done it before the wedding, you should set aside the first months into the marriage to talk about each other’s financial situation. Now that you both are bringing their financial backgrounds into the relationship, it’s important to come clean about all your assets, debts and incomes.
Sharing something as essential as finances requires a great deal of honesty and clear communication. For many couples this is a hard truth to confess, very often fearing judgment or feeling uncomfortable discussing such delicate topics.
Nevertheless, once both of you know how much you have and owe, you can focus your efforts into making a plan for your retirement and getting the debts out of the way.
2. Between fun and frugality
More often than not are the the spouses different in the way they view and manage money. Some may seem to be more frivolous with their expenses, which can drive a more frugal spouse crazy.
There are many options as to how you will be handling your joint finances – will it be by pooling all the money you both make into a joint account, or having separate accounts and splitting all costs fifty-fifty is entirely up to you.
Especially when one spouse is making significantly less than the other, the pay disparity may influence how comfortable is the less-earning spouse with spending the money.
There is no right approach, no one recipe for all couples. What you should be aiming for is finding a system that will is flexible and that will keep your relationship happy.
3. Taking care of debts like a duo
You may not marry into debts, but your spouse’s financial situation does become your personal matter, as well.
It can affect your joint life choices and decisions.
As an example, one of the partners could be struggling with a massive credit card debt, which can hinder you from buying your dream home.
Also, if you both have multiple debts, it’s important to join forces and tackle them together for fastest results.
In addition, as you co-sign loans or open joint accounts, you both get associated with each other’s credit report. With one of you having a bad credit background, it could easily lead to the other spouse’s credit report taking the plunge as well.
Financial success for newlyweds – just a bit of planning away
Financial intimacy may seem hard to reach, but it is detrimental for the success and quality of your marriage.
Avoid the pitfalls of hiding anything from your partner – everyone in the marriage needs to have a clear picture of the situation.
That way, you can join forces and make sure your financial matters become your joint venture, instead a point of struggle.
