Money can be a point of contention for many couples. Between big expenses like taking vacations, buying a house, getting married or having children, relationships can be filled with tricky financial situations. Even trickier is if you and your partner have different views on financial matters—one of you is a spender and one is a saver. Here are some tips on navigating money management as a team.
The first step to managing your finances within a relationship is to talk about money on a regular basis. For some people, this may be easy. But money is a source of stress and anxiety for many people, so you might have to be a little more mindful about when and how you talk about it.
If talking about finances doesn’t come naturally to your relationship, try scheduling a time to talk on a regular basis. Once per month before most of your bills are due is a good interval to start with. If it’s a stressful conversation for one or both of you, try to set yourself up for success with your plans around the talk. Plan to have a fun date night immediately after your conversation as a reward. Or simply make sure you’re in a comfortable place when you talk to each other—be sure the room around you is clean and cozy, so you don’t add to your stress.
If you’re at a point in your relationship where you’re ready to open a shared bank account, it’s important to agree on a budget for shared expenses. Especially if one of you tends to spend more money than the other, you should establish guidelines for you both to follow when using the shared bank account. You both have access to the account, so without guidelines, one partner may use the money sparingly while the other may spend the money liberally.
Think about the necessary living expenses you’ll use the shared account for like:
Once you have a list of agreed-upon expenses, you can then develop a process for covering things that fall outside of those categories. For big purchases, it might mean having a discussion before deciding to buy something with money in the shared account. For smaller purchases, it might just be your partner giving you a heads up when they’re about to buy something. Regardless of how you choose to spend the money, guidelines and open communication are key to avoiding disagreements and tricky situations around your finances.
If you do choose to open a shared bank account, it may be a good idea to keep separate accounts for your personal and incidental expenses. Especially if one of you tends to spend more money than the other, having control over separate accounts gives each of you the freedom to spend or save how much you’d like without worrying about what your partner thinks.
Having separate accounts can be beneficial for buying personal items, gifts for your partner or other things that you know your partner won’t use. For instance, you might want to save a little bit of money to spend on a gaming system, but your partner prefers to save money and invest it instead. With personal accounts, you can both manage a portion of your money however you’d like.
It’s a good idea to have a professional opinion when it comes to managing your money. For couples with different financial habits, it’s even more important to have a financial professional there as a neutral party. This person can help both of you manage your shared finances, figure out how to save and invest and plan for big life expenses together.
If you need help talking with your partner about money, you’re planning to open a joint bank account or you’re starting to think about a large expense, reach out to a financial professional for help.
*This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information provided is not written or intended as tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any Federal tax penalties. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel. Individuals involved in the estate planning process should work with an estate planning team, including their own personal legal or tax counsel. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a representation by us of a specific investment or the purchase or sale of any securities. Asset allocation and diversification do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets. This material was developed and produced by Advisor Websites to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. Copyright 2022 Advisor Websites.
11440 West Bernardo Court
Suite 300
San Diego CA 92127
Dynamique Capital Advisors, LLC (“Dynamique”) is an investment advisor registered with the State of California and the State of Texas. The firm offers advisory services in the State of California and in other jurisdictions where registered or exempted.
Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The information on Dynamique’s website or in its distributed commentary shall not be directly or indirectly interpreted as a solicitation of investment advisory services to persons or entities of another jurisdiction unless otherwise permitted by statute. Dynamique’s individualized responses to consumers in a particular state in the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation shall not be made without the firm first complying with jurisdiction requirements or pursuant to an applicable state exemption.
The information on Dynamique’s website or in its distributed commentary is not investment, tax, accounting or legal advice. Dynamique is not a tax advisor. For tax advice individuals should consult their CPA.
This information is also not an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security, or to be construed as an endorsement of any company, security, fund, or other securities or non-securities offering. This information should not be relied upon in the making of investment decisions.
All content on this site is for informational purposes only, and nothing herein should be construed as an investment recommendation. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Dynamique, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources, but no representations are made by our firm as to other parties’ informational accuracy or completeness.
All information or ideas described on Dynamique’s website or in its distributed commentary should be discussed in detail with an investor’s personal financial advisors and legal counsel prior to implementation. Past performance is no indication of future results. Investment in securities involves significant risk and has the potential for partial or complete loss of funds invested. The information on Dynamique’s website or in its distributed commentary is provided “AS IS” and without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable laws, Dynamique Capital Advisors, LLC disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, non-infringement, and suitability for a particular purpose. Dynamique does not warrant that the information on Dynamique’s website or in its distributed commentary will be free from error. Your use of this information is at your sole risk. Under no circumstances shall Dynamique be liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the information provided on this site, even if Dynamique or a Dynamique authorized representative has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Information contained on this site should not be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell any security, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation, or recommendation would be unlawful or unauthorized.