Here on BMWK we’ve often preached that communication before you say “I Do” is vital to any hopes of marital bliss and longevity. One of the main points of discussion prior to marriage should be around finances. Well our friends at Black Enteprise have helped you out by telling you what those money questions should be and how you can ask them:
1. How was money handled in your home when you grew up
This question is designed to find out what deeply-rooted money beliefs your partner learned in early childhood.A question like this, says Jane Honeck, a CPA and Personal Financial Specialist, “starts the conversation in a non judgmental way.”
2. What is your credit rating?
I’m the first one to admit that you might raise an eyebrow by coming out and flat-out asking your honey what’s his or her FICO score. Talk about a romance killer. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t get the 411 on your partner’s credit standing ““ and do it in a loving, constructive way.
3. How much debt do you owe?
Census Bureau data show that the median age of a first marriage in 2010 was 28 for men and 26 for women. Since people are getting married later, both the bride and the groom have each had more time to rack up credit card debt or student loans.
4. Do you want joint or separate accounts?
Whether or not to maintain joint or separate accounts is a personal decision and varies from couple to couple. Some newlyweds opt to keep their finances completely independent, and others choose to co-mingle everything. Still other couples take the hybrid approach (and my recommended strategy) by keeping separate accounts and then having a joint account from which they pay household bills.
To see the details on each topic and creative ways to approach the conversation see the complete list with details at Black Enterprise.