No More Secrets Between Spouses
For centuries the concept of "money talk" was almost oxymoronic. The breadwinner or head of the household handled the financial stuff, and the rest of the family simply trusted that person and lived with the results. No one spoke about it. Slowly, this brick wall is being chipped away. The World War II generation almost never discussed money with the family; boomers are a little more open to it and younger generations even more so — with women only slightly more willing, according to Ameriprise Financial's Money Across Generations study. We still have a long way to go. Fewer than half of boomers say they discuss finances with the family, and the norm remains a husband or wife handling the money without a lot of discussion. But there are compelling reasons to change that. For one thing, the vast majority of households now have two earners who deserve equal say in how the money is handled. But more critically, spouses pass away and marriages break up. If you don't know where the money is, the transition may be hellish. Meanwhile, it's a lot easier to ask a partner to make a sacrifice when they understand and share your goals. You have had personal responsibility for your future thrust upon you by retrenching employers and a government that is no longer able to make guarantees. Planning that future must be a team sport.