Financial Arguments Could Hint At Deeper Problems

Divorce experts note that arguing about money is often the first step toward divorce. When they look for warning signs in a relationship that mean divorce will eventually happen, they look for these arguments more than disagreements about anything else.

Why is money so important? There are many reasons, and the issues could be purely financial. If a spouse is always wasting money and making it harder or impossible for the family to make ends meet, that could lead to a split.

However, experts note that these arguments could actually suggest there are other issues that the couple hasn’t yet exposed. These root issues lead to financial arguments, but they are not strictly financial on their own.

For example, the disagreement could start because one spouse always controls the money and doesn’t give the other person any decision-making power. This could show that there are power issues and trust issues. One spouse is too controlling, or the other is not trustworthy, or both.

Eventually, these other issues could cause the relationship to fragment. A spouse who does not trust his or her partner with money may not trust that person with raising children or may constantly wonder if he or she is being faithful to the relationship. This can slowly drive a wedge between the couple. The financial disagreements were just the first step.

If you and your spouse fight so much about money and related issues that you decide to get divorced, you must know your legal rights. This process can be complicated with a high-asset divorce, but it’s very important to be informed and to fully understand the state laws.

Source: Huffington Post, “Divorce Study: Financial Arguments Early In Relationship May Predict Divorce,” accessed March 16, 2017