(StatePoint) Talking about money can be difficult. While we’re taught to avoid the potentially sensitive topic in polite conversation, there’s at least one person with whom you need to be able to have frequent and honest financial conversations -- your partner or spouse.
This Valentine’s Day, take the opportunity to strengthen your relationship by understanding what drives your partner’s financial decisions. While experts say it may not always be possible to agree on everything, knowing each other’s perspective can help couples avoid frustrating conversations and make better decisions together.
kAm “(6 2== 3C:?8 @FC @H? 766=:?8D 2?5 6IA6C:6?46D E@ E96 E23=6 2?5 E92E 42? 92G6 2 3:8 :>A24E @? 9@H H6 :?G6DE 2?5 DA6?5 >@?6J[” D2JD y@6 sFC2?[ rt~ @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]9@?6DE4@?G6CD2E:@?D]4@>^Qm&?:E65 r2A:E2=k^2m[ 2 AC:G2E6 H62=E9 4@?DF=E:?8 7:C> 2?5 }6H *@C< %:>6D 36DE\D6==:?8 2FE9@C @7 %96 |@?6J r@56[ 2 ?6H 3@@< E92E 2:>D E@ :>AC@G6 7:?2?4:2= 564:D:@? >2<:?8] “qFE 3J 9@?6DE=J 86EE:?8 E@ E96 C@@E @7 H92E >@?6J >62?D E@ J@F 2?5 E@ J@FC A2CE?6C[ J@F 42? E2<6 DE6AD E@ :>AC@G6 J@FC 7:?2?4:2= =:76 E@86E96C]”k^Am
kAmx? E:>6 7@C '2=6?E:?6’D s2J[ 96C6 2C6 D@>6 H2JD 4@FA=6D 42? D>@@E9 @G6C E96:C 5:776C6?46Dik^Am
kA 2=:8?lQ46?E6CQmkDEC@?8m!C:@C:E:K6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm{:DE J@FC 7:?2?4:2= AC:@C:E:6D 2?5 D2G:?8D 8@2=D 2?5 56E6C>:?6 H9:49 2C6 ?646DD2CJ[ ?68@E:23=6 2?5 C62=:DE:4] sC2H FA 2 3F586E 2?5 4C62E6 2 7:?2?4:2= 564:D:@? >2<:?8 4964<=:DE E92E D2E:D7:6D 3@E9 @7 J@F 2?5 C6D@=G6 E@ DE:4< E@ :E] p 4=62C 24E:@? A=2? H:== 96=A 2G@:5 DFCAC:D6 AFC492D6D @C :?G6DE>6?ED >256 3J J@F @C J@FC A2CE?6C E92E 4@F=5 364@>6 A@E6?E:2= D@FC46D @7 2C8F>6?E]k^Am
kA 2=:8?lQ46?E6CQmkDEC@?8mr@>>F?:42E6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm “x =:<6 E@ E9:?< @7 6249 @7 FD 2D 92G:?8 2 ‘k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]7:?5J@FC>@?6J>:?5]4@>^Qm|@?6J |:?5k^2m[’ H9:49 >@E:G2E6D E96 H2J H6 E9:?< 23@FE >@?6J[” D2JD sFC2?] “$@>6 @7 FD 2C6 5C:G6? 3J 762C[ D@>6 3J E96 AFCDF:E @7 92AA:?6DD 2?5 @E96CD 3J 4@>>:E>6?E] (96E96C J@F’C6 DA6?5:?8 E@@ >F49 :? E96 AFCDF:E @7 92AA:?6DD[ @C >:DD:?8 <6J @AA@CEF?:E:6D @FE @7 762C[ 364@>6 24E:G6=J 2H2C6 @7 H92E 8F:56D J@F 2?5 J@FC A2CE?6C 7:?2?4:2==J 2?5 E96 A@E6?E:2= 4@?D6BF6?46D]”k^Am
kAm*@F’== 36 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 2G@:5 =6EE:?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?D EFC? :?E@ 2C8F>6?ED :7 J@F’C6 DA62<:?8 E96 D2>6 =2?8F286 2D J@FC A2CE?6C] t249 @7 J@F D9@F=5 92G6 2? 24E:G6 G@:46 :? E96 5:D4FDD:@? 2?5 36 A2CE:4:A2E:?8 7F==J :? E96 7:?2?4:2= A=2??:?8 AC@46DD] k^Am
kA 2=:8?lQ46?E6CQmkDEC@?8m$66< w6=Ak^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm!6CD@?2= 3:2D6D 42? D@>6E:>6D 86E :? E96 H2J @7 D@F?5 ;F58>6?E] qFE 2 7:?2?4:2= 25G:D6C 42? 96=A J@F @3;64E:G6=J >2A @FE 2 AC@46DD E@ 249:6G6 J@FC 7:?2?4:2= 8@2=D] ~AE 7@C @?6 H9@ 5@6D?’E ;FDE 7@4FD @? :?G6DE>6?ED[ 3FE H9@ 42? 2=D@ >2E49 J@FC 7:?2?4:2= 2DA:C2E:@?D H:E9 J@FC 4FCC6?E C6D@FC46D]k^Am
kAm|@C6 E:AD @? 9@H E@ 5:D4FDD >@?6J H:E9 J@FC A2CE?6C 42? 36 7@F?5 3J G:D:E:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]9@?6DE4@?G6CD2E:@?D]4@>^QmHHH]w@?6DEr@?G6CD2E:@?D]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAms@?’E =6E >:D4@>>F?:42E:@? DE2?5 :? E96 H2J @7 2 962=E9J 7:?2?4:2= 7FEFC6] qJ E2<:?8 DE6AD E@ F?56CDE2?5 J@FC A2CE?6C’D A6CDA64E:G6[ J@F 42? 56G6=@A 2 ;@:?E D@=FE:@? E92E >2<6D 6G6CJ@?6 92AAJ]k^Am
kAm!9@E@ rC65:Ei W4X v@@5=FK \ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^u@E@=:2]4@>Qmu@E@=:2]4@>k^2mk^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEAi^^7665D]DE2E6A@:?E]?6E^E@H??6HD^A=246>6?E]2D9InEl4U2>Aj:5lahf`Q ^mk^Am
