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For many, in the early stages of dating, they’re just thinking about chemistry, the romantic element, the fun. But if things go well, a relationship inevitably transitions into something much bigger than just a romantic experience. You and your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse become partners in life, and that means managing the logistics and practical matters of life, like finances.
Talking about money can be uncomfortable. Even those who may be comfortable discussing it with family, friends, and perhaps strangers, can feel deeply awkward discussing it with a romantic partner and there’s certainly nothing fun about it. Avoiding these discussions, however, can, unfortunately, lead to bigger issues down the line, both within your finances and your relationship. Financial expert and coach Dr. Nicole Scott of Amountfinancial.com has some advice for how couples can normalize financial conversations in their relationships in order to set themselves up for future success.
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Start early
Dr. Scott states that financial talks should already begin in the early stages of a relationship, i.e. the dating stage. That’s when you should begin assessing someone’s comfort level with discussing money. “If there were issues before marriage, they will be exasperated after marriage. If someone didn’t like talking about money before marriage, it will be worse after marriage,” warns Dr. Scott.
