Virginia K. Molgaard
Family Life Specialist
Iowa State University Extension
Copyright/Access Information
Successfully meshing two styles of handling money doesn't magically
happen just because two people love each other. It's something
you have to keep working on as the years go by. Every day there
are dozens of little decisions to be made about money, such as
whether or not to pay cash, write a check, use a credit card,
or pay a bill, not to mention the bigger decisions involving savings
and investments, tax planning, ownership rights, insurance coverage
and other matters with long-term consequences.
Dividing up the responsibility for the decisions and the paperwork
that make up the money side of a marriage isn't exactly easy for
one-income couples. In a two-income marriage, it's even more difficult,
and second marriages can have special money management problems
of their own, such as budgeting for child support, alimony, or
visits by children from earlier marriages.
For many, a second paycheck is often a necessity, not a matter
of choice. Since each partner contributes to the family income,
each wants a say on how the money is spent. Two-paycheck families
may face communication challenges with the added dollars they
earn. In our society, money is often equated with power, and the
person who earns more may have a greater say in
how his/her money is spent. With more wives working, the traditional
balance of power in some families may shift to mirror this change.
The balance of power in dual income families may be altered according
to the proportion of total family income the wife earns. The larger
her contribution, the greater her power in family decisions. Whether
you started married life under the assumption that both would
work, or you changed from a single to a dual income couple, you
have had to come to a decision about what to do with the second
paycheck. "That's easy," you say, "it will help
pay the bills," or "more money means more enjoyment
for the whole family." In day-to-day living, however, it
often isn't quite so simple.
Should each partner have money that is not accountable to the
other, money that is one's own? How are the shared bills to be
paid: divided in the middle, each spouse taking responsibility
for separate items (i.e., one gets the mortgage, the other the
car payment), or is the husband responsible for the basics, and
the wife for the frills? Should the spouse who has the greater
income have veto or tie-breaker power in money decisions? Will
you live on one income and save the other for a special purpose
such as a down payment on a house or a retirement fund?
...put an equal amount of their respective salaries into joint
checking and saving accounts (to cover the basic household expenses).
The remainder can be saved or spent as each sees fit.
Advantages: Each spouse contributes to both daily expenses
and long term expenses. Each has some money to call his/her own.
Problems: Arise when one spouse earns appreciably more
than the other; this can lead to resentment by the spouse who
has less individual income.
...each contributes a percentage of his/her income to cover
household expenses and joint savings. The remainder is his/hers
to do with as each pleases.
Advantages: Both spouses are contributing to household
expenses, while retaining some independence of funds.
Problems: A difference in the amount of income each person
earns could cause resentment,
since the person with the higher income may have more "play"
money.
...combine all their income to use for both household and personal
expenses. The money is usually held in joint accounts.
Advantages: The work of each spouse is valued equally,
regardless of income earned.
Problems: The spouse with the lesser income may not feel
he or she has as much to say in how
the joint income is spent. Both spouses may feel obligated to
discuss all purchases with each
other, which could be an advantage or disadvantage. Financial
advisors suggest that pooler couples retain an independent "allowance"
of a set amount. This helps them retain the feeling that all income
is shared, while letting each spouse make some purchases that
are not accountable to the other. This also simplifies household
record-keeping.
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