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Treat your marriage like a business

September 20, 2016 By Liz Weston

My artist husband likes to say that if I were in charge of our spending, we’d be sitting on milk crates instead of furniture and that if he were in charge, we’d have no retirement accounts.

The fact that we have both nice furniture and retirement funds is a testament to compromise — and the wealth-building power of marriage.

Married people are significantly wealthier than single people in every age group, and the gap tends to widen as people approach retirement age. Married couples age 55 to 64 had a median net worth, excluding home equity, of $108,607 in 2011, the latest available Census Bureau figures show. By contrast, single men in the same age bracket were worth a median $14,226 and single women $11,481.

Income and education also contribute heavily to wealth — and to the likelihood that people will marry. But a 15-year study of 9,000 people found that even after controlling for those and other factors, marriage itself contributed to a 4 percent annual increase in net worth. The same study found that wealth typically began to drop four years before a divorce, which ultimately reduced people’s wealth by 77 percent.

Since marital status is so powerfully associated with financial status, people would be smart to view marriage as a business arrangement in addition to a romantic one. Taking a few pages from the business world has certainly made our 19-year marriage stronger as well as wealthier.

In my latest for the Associated Press, a look at what works for us and how to apply it to your own marriage.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: business arrangement, finances, marriage, tips

Q&A: Talking money before marriage

December 22, 2014 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: My daughter is getting married in September. She recently confided that she and her fiance have never discussed their respective debts (if any), credit scores or financial goals. She is hesitant to bring this up with him but realizes it’s a discussion that needs to happen before they marry. I suggested they consider meeting with a financial counselor so they can have an honest talk about money as a practical matter rather than an emotional one. Would a fee-only financial planner be appropriate in this instance?

Answer: Absolutely. If you’d like, you could make a session with such a planner your engagement present to them.

Of course, they don’t need a professional to start talking about their financial situations. Presumably she knows him well enough by now to have some idea about how best to broach the topic. It could be as simple as “Hey, I was just paying some bills and I realized we probably should talk about our financial situations.”

A way to start the decision is to talk about dreams and goals. Would they like to raise a family? Buy a home? Start a business? Travel a lot? Retire early? All financial planning stems from knowing what your goals are, and then you can figure out how to achieve them. Your daughter shouldn’t be too worried if they aren’t on exactly the same financial page, since few couples are. What’s important at this stage is knowing what’s important to each person.

It can be trickier to talk about the present. Most people have made mistakes with money, and many have more debt and less savings than they’d like. Being a sympathetic listener and suspending judgment can go a long way toward putting a partner at ease in these discussions.

After they’ve had a few talks and feel comfortable, they probably should take a look at each other’s credit reports. Those would give them a fairly good idea of how much each person owes. That can help them understand roughly how much of the family budget will need to go toward retiring those debts and how much is available to achieve their goals.

Filed Under: Couples & Money, Financial Advisors, Q&A Tagged With: engagement, financial advisors, marriage, q&a

Q&A: Social Security and marriage

July 20, 2014 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: Each year, I track my estimated Social Security benefit on the SSA.gov website. At full retirement age of 67, my estimated benefit is $1,504. Is it true that my actual benefit may be reduced by 50% since I am married?

Answer: Good heavens, no.

If you’re married, your spouse may be entitled to a benefit that equals up to half of your check. But your check is not reduced to provide this spousal benefit. Instead, the Social Security Administration typically would calculate the benefit your spouse earned on his own, compare that to his spousal benefit, and then give him the larger of the two amounts.

If you have ex-spouses from marriages that lasted at least 10 years, they too could be entitled to spousal benefits. But those benefits wouldn’t reduce your check or your husband’s.

Filed Under: Estate planning, Q&A, Retirement Tagged With: marriage, q&a, Social Security, Social Security benefits

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

July 17, 2014 By Liz Weston

currencyToday’s top story: How to avoid currency exchange fees while traveling. Also in the news: How finances can reveal an unfaithful spouse, howto avoid ruining your retirement plan, and why it’s so important to include your digital assets in your estate planning.

5 money saving tips for exchanging currency
How to save on fees during your overseas travel.

11 Financial Signs Your Spouse is Cheating on You
There’s always a paper trail.

4 Ways to Ruin Your Retirement Plan
You’ll want to avoid these.

5 ways to protect your online assets
The importance of including your online accounts in your estate plan.

10 steps to take if you hope to retire soon
The sooner you start, the better off you’ll be.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: currency exchange, digital assets, marriage, Retirement, tips, travel

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

July 2, 2014 By Liz Weston

Identity theft conceptToday’s top story: The increase in student loan interest rates. Also in the news: Safeguarding your retirement, making sure your finances are marriage ready, and protecting your identity while on vacation.

Student Loan Rates Rise Today: Will You Be Paying More?
Find out how much more you could be paying.

How to Insure Your Retirement Like You Do Your Car (Almost)
Tips to help you safeguard.

Checklist: Is Your Money Ready For Marriage?
You’re not the only one walking down the aisle.

11 Ways to Keep Identity Thieves from Ruining Your Vacation
Why should they get to have any fun?

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Identity Theft, marriage, Retirement, Student Loans

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

June 4, 2014 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Financial moves to make in the month of June. Also in the news: What to do if you forgot to pay your taxes, hot to create the ideal household budget, and what you need to know about your future spouse’s finances before getting married.

The Financial Moves You Should Make in June
How to take the month by storm.

What to Do if You Forgot to Pay Taxes
Don’t panic.

A Guide to Creating Your Ideal Household Budget
Something all members of the house can live with.

Getting Married? 10 Things to Know About Your Fiance’s Finances
No honeymoon surprises.

Are Student Loans Worth it?
Weighing the short-term benefits and long-term costs.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: budget, couples and finances, financial tips, marriage, Student Loans, Taxes

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