Managing Your Finances When Married

When you get married, not only do you merge your lives together, but you merge your finances together. Intertwining love and money brings both joy and challenging hurdles, which is why it’s important to understand how to navigate through the intricacies of managing your finances so that you and your partner can live happily and financially stable, regardless of what the future holds.

1. Open Communication: Being able to openly communicate with one another about your finances and come to a resolution is critical. It’s important to be regularly communicating about your financial situation in order to avoid miscommunications and misunderstandings. 

2. Joint or Separate Accounts: It’s important for you and your partner to decide if you want to have a joint account, separate accounts, or a combination of both. Each option has its pros and cons so it’s important that you and your partner talk it out to decide what would be best for both of you.

3. Have an Emergency Fund: Having an emergency fund is important for any unexpected expenses. You should try to save three to six months of your living expenses in case of a job loss or medical emergencies. 

4. Insurance Coverage: You and your partner should review your health, life, disability, and other insurance policies to ensure that there is adequate coverage to protect your family in case of an emergency. 

5. Create a Budget: Develop a budget that outlines you and your partner's monthly income and expenses. Allocate your funds into necessities, savings, investments, and discretionary spending. Regularly review and adjust your budget!