Finance
How to navigate financial conversations with your partner as newlyweds
FOX Business’ Lauren Simonetti took to the streets of New York City to get people’s take on the recent Bankrate survey that revealed 40% of Americans who are married or living with a partner commit ‘financial infidelity.’
After the wedding and honeymoon bliss wears off, it’s time to get back to reality.
Money is a topic that requires discussion between you and your partner, hopefully before nuptials take place. Finances can be a huge point of contention between couples, so it’s important to establish a plan early on about how you both, as a married couple, are going to deal with money.
Money is also often an awkward topic between partners, but it’s vital to be honest with each other through financial conversations. After all, 44% of couples argue at least occasionally about money, according to Bankrate.
Below are tips to follow as newlyweds to help you navigate through the sticky situation of finances.
Discussing finances is a difficult, but important conversation to have with your spouse. ( / iStock)
WHEN SHOULD I START SAVING FOR MY WEDDING?
- Put the discussion of money out there
- Determine your long-term and short-term financial goals
- Figure out how you are going to save as a couple
- Create a budget
- Adjust finances when necessary
1. Put the discussion of money out there
When you sit down with your partner to talk about finances, put it all out there. Be 100% honest with each other, so there aren’t any surprises down the line.
One important topic is debt. This includes everything from personal loans, credit card debt and student loans. Figure out how much you both have and come up with a plan on how you will pay it off.
Also, talk about your spending and saving habits. What do you spend a lot of money on? Do you consider yourself a spender or a saver? How much money have you already saved? Do you have a retirement plan in place?
2. Determine your long-term and short-term financial goals
Establish the goals that you have together, short- and long-term.
If you have outstanding debt, one goal is probably going to be to get that paid off as soon as possible. Maybe you want to save for a down payment for a house. Do you have an emergency fund set up yet? If not, maybe one of your first goals is to get that funded.
You can also talk about short-term money goals. This includes things like saving for a vacation or maybe a new vehicle.
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When talking about finances with your spouse, be open and transparent about things like debt and your own personal spending habits. ( / iStock)
3. Figure out how you are going to save as a couple
There are three different ways you can handle finances together. The first is doing everything jointly. The second is keeping your finances completely separate and the third is a combination of both.
Today, 43% of U.S. couples who are married, in a civil partnership or live together have only joint accounts, according to Bankrate.
Thirty-four percent of couples have a mix of joint and separate accounts, according to the source, and 23% have completely separate accounts.
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The stats do show that keeping money separate as a couple is an idea posed by younger generations, with 69% of millennials keeping separate accounts, according to Bankrate.
How you and your spouse plan to handle your finances is a personal decision. Some, like Dave Ramsey, for example, believe that when a couple is married, their money should get married too, and all income should go into the same pot.
Others would rather keep things separate, although this does pose difficulty when bills and children come into play.
Certain couples find value in a combination of both ideas.
For most couples, individuals won’t have the same debts and income, which can quickly create financial imbalance and hostility towards one another.
That is why it’s so important to talk through all of these options with your partner, and determine what is best for you during the stage of your life that you’re in. Remember, you aren’t stuck to one way of doing things forever. If the method you choose isn’t working, you can always change things.
That said, lumping everything together still remains the most popular option.
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4. Create a budget
Creating a budget is a great way to keep you on track with your goals and see spending habits clearly.
Whether you’ve made a budget before or not, creating one with your partner for the first time is a new experience. Even if you’ve made one as a single individual for years, it’s going to look different now that you’re married.
When creating a budget, key things to consider are your combined income, expenses and saving plans.
Revisit your budget monthly to make sure you are on track with your goals and to make any necessary adjustments. ( / iStock)
Once you know your combined income, list out all of your expenses, including bills as well as debts that you need to pay.
Then, don’t forget to also include how much you want to save from month to month. A popular budgeting method for couples and individuals is the 50/30/20 rule, where 50% of money goes toward needs, 30% toward wants and 20% to savings.
5. Adjust finances when necessary
An initial money conversation is great, but it should not be the only one you have. Check in with each other on a monthly or bimonthly basis to ensure changes are made and points are heard.
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Make any adjustments you need to make in order to maintain a healthy relationship with your significant other and your finances.
People watch as Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett is seen on a screen speaking at the Berkshire Hathaway Inc annual shareholders’ meeting, in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., May 3, 2025.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
Berkshire Hathaway shares are hanging on solidly Monday as investors process Warren Buffett‘s surprise announcement to step down and envision a new path for the conglomerate after his legendary 60-year run.
Buffett, 94, picked the very last moment at Berkshire’s annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, to tell his loyal shareholders that it’s time for Greg Abel, vice chairman of non-insurance operations, to replace him as CEO. The board voted unanimously on Sunday to make Abel president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2026, and for Buffett to remain as chairman.
Class B shares fell 2.9% in premarket trading Monday after hitting an all-time high at $539.80 Friday. Class A shares dropped 2.8% after closing at a record high at $809,350 apiece. Berkshire issued Class B shares in 1996 at a price equal to one-thirtieth of a Class A share. In 2010, Berkshire Class B shares split 50-for-1.
“Shareholders should welcome this transparent transition, but also have confidence that Warren isn’t going anywhere,” said Macrae Sykes, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds and a Berkshire shareholder. “Retaining the position of Chairman means he can continue to mentor Greg and the Berkshire leaders, while also providing additional intellectual capacity when the inevitable time for more major capital allocation occurs.”
It marks an end of an epic era for Berkshire, which was a failing New England textile mill six decades ago when Buffett used an investment partnership he ran to take control. Berkshire has grown into a one-of-a-kind juggernaut worth nearly $1.2 trillion with businesses encompassing insurance, railroad, retail, manufacturing and energy. Buffett is handing over his reins on a particularly high note as Berkshire shares just reached a new peak Friday.
Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares
“Buffett leaves a company that is less reliant on his investing capabilities, with an array of leading businesses with strong cash flows,” Brian Meredith, UBS’ Berkshire analyst, said in a note. “Operationally, we expect little change at BRK and the culture/strategy to remain unchanged under Abel.”
The stock could also be reacting to Berkshire’s first-quarter results that showed a 14% decline in operating earnings, driven by a 48.6% plunge in insurance-underwriting profit. Berkshire said the Southern California wildfires led to a $1.1 billion loss during the period.
Berkshire shares have significantly outperformed the S&P 500, rising nearly 19% this year. Investors seeking relatively safe places to hide find Berkshire appealing because of the defensive nature of its huge insurance empire and the conglomerate’s unmatched balance sheet.
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