Society seems to talk more comfortably about sex than we talk about money. This seems true within social circles and can also be the case in relationships. Whether we choose to believe it or not, money can help open doors to security and financial freedom or it can be the cause of increased stress and anxiety. Let’s shoot for the former and start talking!
Finance can be confusing in and of itself—as can relationships. Coupling the money topic with a relationship can sometimes further complicate the situation. In an effort to make the topic of money more approachable, Wealth Driven Mindset has provided a list of questions that you should consider discussing with your loved one.
The first set of questions are best suited for a first discussion with your partner while the second set should be considered as part of an ongoing healthy relationship when it comes to your money and finances. Consider scheduling time for a money date at least once a year—more often (monthly or quarterly) is recommended if you have short-term goals that you are working toward.
Initial Money Questions to Discuss with Your Partner:
- Where did you learn about money and personal finance growing up? How do you educate yourself today on the topic?
- What excites you most about money? What scares you most?
- How do you currently budget? How often?
- What areas of personal finance and money management do you think you are good at and what areas could you improve?
- What do you own? (What assets, bank account balances, real estate, investments, etc. do you have?)
- What do you owe? (What debt do you have?)
- What is your credit score? How do you expect it to change over the next year? Three years?
- What does financial success in the future look like to you?
- What are your financial goals?
- When would you like to retire? What does retirement look like to you (location, lifestyle, health, etc.)?
BONUS QUESTION: How can I best support you as you work to achieve your money goals?
Ongoing Money Questions for You and Your Partner:
- What financial goals are we working toward?
- How do our current numbers and financial situation look relative to these goals?
- What have we been doing well with our money/finances? What could we be doing better?
- What should we begin/stop doing today to help move closer toward the achievement of these goals? How can we support one another?
- When should we next sit down and talk about these goals?
Looking for tools and additional resources to help guide you through budgets and goal setting? Check out Wealth Driven Mindset’s FREE downloadable resources.
