Money: The Marriage Killer

Today as Americans we live in the most broadly prosperous nation in history. More wealth per capita, newer cars, bigger houses, richer portfolios. Welcome to the land of opportunity.

It's ironic then, that in this seeming land of plenty, marriages suffer and die due to money.

It's been said that more marriages fail due to financial problems than any other issue. Probably true. For some, even in this land of plenty, it's the lack of money. Not that the income isn't substantial. Just not enough to go around.

The pressure of it all bears heavily on the marriage. Instead of discussing a bring future, they discuss how to keep the bill collectors happy. What happened? The obvious is that they over spent or underearned. Beyond that, there was a basic lack of discipline regarding spending habits.

For others, it's not the lack of money, just the significant difference of opinion over how it should be spent. And that reflects clearly on the respective values of the individuals involved. I've always maintained that marriages don't end over money. It just becomes the world's best battleground. It reflects in an unbiased way the true and often conflicting values of the marriage partners.

So what do we do? It seems almost unAmerican to propose living beneath our means. That's not exactly the American dream. But it's a sure way to avoid the American nightmare of financial struggles.

Beyond that, use money as a way foster better communication in your marriage. Set aside time each week to review together the financial picture. Use the time to set goals, and devise sound strategies to go where you want to go as a couple.

It can be a killer...or it can be a means to pull the marital team together...what will it be for you?

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