Before my partner and I moved in together, we had serious talks related to how our lives would change. Rather than ignore it, we pointed out the elephant in the room: MONEY! If you think you can avoid it, you can’t. It’ll rear its awkward head eventually! So why not just have the money talk and get on the same page about your finances? Talking openly about it is like examining anything else important in your relationship—it’ll only make your bond stronger!
Right around Valentine's Day, I spoke to Krista Aliga, a certified financial planner from Personal Capital, to get some fresh insights related to money & relationships. Considering February is Creative Romance Month, the timing couldn't have been better!
Krista was recently quoted in this very interesting article revealing the findings from the Love & Money Report, which surveyed US-based millennials on the topic of their finances and romantic relationship. Here are a few stats from the article, which I highly recommend reading.
- 39% of adults avoid talking about money with a romantic partner
- 58% say they would end the relationship if their partner was being dishonest about money/spending
- 32% would call it quits if their partner never or rarely offers to pay for things
- 34% said it's never appropriate to sign a prenup
I can't say I was all too surprised by these survey results, can you? Talking about money is never fun. Krista and I hopped onto Zoom to chat about why thse millennials are so financially stressed (and are they really different than any other age group?). Krista shared tips on how to best approach financial planning conversations with your partner.
Some of what we discuss might sound very obvious to you, but the fact of the matter is that if these statistics are accurate, you clearly need to hear this information and be reminded to make it a priorty. I know I do!
I specifically enjoyed chatting with Krista about domestic partnership agreements and prenups. This is a part of coupling that can't be rushed and really needs to be examined because...well, you never know!
Watch our conversation and consider some of our tips. Remember to create a safe and non-judgmental space for these talks. This should be a bonding experience more than anything else! FYI, when Joseph and I first began discussing money before we moved in together, our talks were definitely tense. But as we cautiously and compassionately addressed the issues that were important to us in terms of our individual financial goals, it got better! And now, nothing is tense about these conversations which now happen daily!
Let me know in the comments what kind of money management relationship problems or tips you have.
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