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5 Fights About Money Every Couple Has & How to Resolve Them

Couples argue about many things, like sex and chores, but money is probably the biggest source of conflict, which can actually impede on other areas in the relationship like sex and chores. In fact, nearly three in four American couples say financial decisions constantly cause stress in their relationship with nearly half admitting it negatively impacted intimacy with their partner. The same survey found that 69 percent of couples have had a disagreement with their companion about finances in the past year.

So there you have it: pretty much every couple fights about money. But why?

“Nearly every fight about money can be boiled down to differences in financial philosophies,” Judi Leahy Senior Wealth Advisor, Citi Personal Wealth Management, tells SheKnows. “The way you feel about spending, saving, investing and planning is shaped by your individual experience, starting from seeing how your parents handled money and your level of financial security growing up.”

As a result, says Leahy, these differing philosophies around money become part of the fabric of who we are, and don’t typically change as we age.

“This difference in financial philosophies is then compounded by a lack of communication – money can often be an uncomfortable topic to broach in relationships, for both married and unmarried partners,” she explains. “But when you can better understand why your partner spends, saves, borrows and invests money in the ways that you disagree with, then you can have calmer and more constructive conversations about financial matters.”

With that in mind, Leahy outlines the most common fights about money every couple has and how to resolve them.

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