Money and Marriage

I have found that keeping marital money split usually causes problems. I don't have any formal research or evidence to support that, but it seems that dual checking accounts usually results in dueling priorities. If you scrimp to pay the bills with your money while your spouse spends his/her money on a new DVD collection, that causes resentment and that leads to stress about money. The reality is the courts consider your money communal, so you might as well do the same. I think there is value in the relationship to saying, "Hey, this is our money. What are we going to do with it?"

Conclusion

Despite the endless jokes, marriage is not supposed to be miserable, but it isn't easy either. It takes work and planning, and that means talking about money matters before and during your marriage. My suggestions are not the only way to have a marriage without money-driven stress, so please don't take offense if I suggest ideas that are opposite what you do. If you have a different system that works, that's great. If you don't, or you are just getting started, I encourage you talk about your money. By planning your money matters together, you can reduce the stress in your marriage. It might keep you from giving a house to someone you don't like.