Released: April 28, 2006

‘Til debt do us part

Source: By Kathy Chu, USA Today

If love is the tie that binds couples together, money is often the wrench that pries them apart.
Money conspires to antagonize couples. It sometimes invites divorce. And though finances have always raised tensions for couples, it may be harder than ever these days to avoid conflict.

That’s because today’s range of family complications — moms leaving and re-entering the workforce, late marriages that bring debt and adult children, shrinking pensions and baffling health care choices — are demanding ever-more financial decisions from couples who can’t even agree on whether the house is warm or cold.

“Our lives are more complex, and it’s made communications around money more complex,” says Carol Anderson, president of Money Quotient, which provides tools for financial advisers. “There are more bad emotions around money.”

Which financial issues most often cause strife? Spending too much and saving too little, according to couples who responded to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll in March. (Many couples don’t admit to financial troubles, though. More on that later.) Making matters worse is that couples don’t talk much about money before committing to each other.

Read Full Article: ‘Til debt do us part