Unmarried Couples: How to Manage Your Finances Together
Cohabitation is on the rise, with the Pew Research Center finding that in the last 30 years, the number of unmarried partners living together nearly tripled from 6 million to 17 million.[0] Now, 59 percent of adults aged 18 to 44 have cohabitated with an unmarried partner, which is 9 percent higher than the percentage of people who have ever been married.
Unmarried couples who are considering living together may have questions about how to manage their money together. Unlike married couples, who often combine their finances into joint accounts, unmarried couples have other options for combining their finances, such as giving money to each other to pay for joint expenses.
Before making any major financial decisions together, it is important for couples to have open and honest conversations about their finances. This includes discussing their debt, financial goals, and dreams. Couples should also discuss their financial priorities and retirement goals.
Discussing finances can improve a couple’s relationship and ability to make smart money moves together.[1] Ultimately, the decision of whether to open a joint account with your partner is deeply personal, but it is important to consider all the options and make sure both partners are on the same page.[2]
0. “Homebuying tips for unmarried couples” Yahoo! Voices, 3 Feb. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/now/homebuying-tips-unmarried-couples-053000245.html
1. “Having the money talk? Tips for discussing finances with your partner” AZ Big Media, 9 Feb. 2023, https://azbigmedia.com/business/financial-management/having-the-money-talk-tips-for-discussing-finances-with-your-partner/
2. “Should We Have a Joint Bank Account as an Unmarried Couple?” Purdue Exponent, 11 Feb. 2023, https://www.purdueexponent.org/news/national/article_13ce1787-d9ae-51c3-8f8d-99f8bf9c1093.html
