Finances and divorce are often heavily intertwined. For one thing, you do have to divide your finances when you get a divorce. But financial issues often cause the split, as well. One example is if one person loses their job and the family then struggles to make ends meet, putting a lot of pressure and stress on both of them.
But one thing to keep in mind is that simple views on finances and how to use the money could be enough to spark a divorce in their own right. That’s why it is often good for couples to talk about their financial perspectives in advance.
What does money signify in your life?
The big question to ask is simply how you view money and what you want it to accomplish in your life. You may think that everyone else looks at things the same way that you do, but it can be surprising to find how varied these views can actually be.
For instance, say that you view money as a form of security, and so you value saving. At the same time, your spouse views money as a way to accomplish goals or create a specific type of life. They value spending because they want to use the money to achieve these goals.
You can quickly see how this would cause stress. If your spouse is spending all of the family’s money and you’re a saver, you feel like they’re causing you financial harm. But if your spouse is saving all of the money and fighting over every little expenditure, when you are a spender, you may feel that you are not living the life that you want.
If these types of issues push you and your spouse toward a potential divorce, the financial side could certainly become complicated. Be sure you know what legal steps to take to work through it.