Ms. Dixon said. Money had been a sore spot in each one's previous marriage. Ms. Dixon said. Talk it through Financial planners say communication can be critical if one spouse handles financial duties alone. Both spouses need to be comfortable with financial decisions, and both need to know where account information and contacts can be found.
Discussion can be important, too, if the partners have different styles of handling money.
Mr. Sheets, director of community development for Consumer Credit Counseling Service Mid America, even offers a test to see where your money motives clash with your spouse's. The first choice a couple make in paying the bills is who pays. It works best in a two-income family. The idea is to compare earnings and allocate budget expenses accordingly. Mr. Sheets says it forces husband and wife to work together and to communicate more than if one person handles everything.