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Financial infidelity is a fancy phrase for hiding money from your partner, and it’s actually a pretty common issue. It can also be a hugely problematic one.
Money is already one of the leading causes of stress in a relationship. Combine that with lying about money and you have a recipe for disaster. MEL magazine points to a few interesting stats:
- A recent survey a CreditCards.com survey that found 12 million Americans have a bank or credit card account hidden their partner.
- Almost half of Americans (42%) say they’ve committed some form of financial infidelity, according to a recent Harris poll. 75% of respondents said that this has a negative effect on the relationship.
- A 2015 study from Fidelity, found that 43% of respondents had no idea what their partner’s income was. Of that group, 10% couldn’t even guess it within $25,000.
These statistics highlight just how important it is to talk about money openly with a partner or spouse. In fact, there are some important conversations to have when a relationship gets serious. Some topics to discuss:
- Credit history
- Debt situation
- Income and spending habits
- Long-term savings goals
Of course, this is usually easier said than done. If you and your partner have different financial views, it can be extra challenging. I’d argue it’s more important than ever to have the discussion in that case, though. One way to jumpstart the conversation is to discuss your “money scripts.” These are basically just different behavioral approaches you might have toward money. Learning how your partner handles money won’t solve everything, but it’s a good place to start.
from Lifehacker http://lifehacker.com
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