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Love and money: Statistics

How do couples comingle their finances?

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By

Rachel Dix-Kessler

Updated

Fact checked

Among the steps to starting a new relationship is sharing the details of your personal life. But that’s small change compared to how you’ll feel when you’re close enough to tell your sweetheart about your finances.

Unacceptable Partner Debt
Date of survey: June 2018

Catching Debt

  • According to Finder research, roughly 30% of the US adult population has taken on some $250 billion in sexually transmitted debt from a current or ex-partner.
  • The most common way we’re taking on this debt is through marriage (28%), with 31% of Gen Y, 26% of Gen X and 24% of baby boomers saying they’d assumed a partner’s debt after saying “I do.” Across the board, a partner’s credit card is the No. 1 source of sexually transmitted debt (37%).
Kids Allowance
Date of survey: February 2018

Marriage of finances

  • It’s not just sexually transmitted debt that’s exchanged along with wedding vows. An estimated 1.13 million Americans in the past year got themselves into debt thanks to financing their wedding.
  • The average couple borrowed $3,082 to cover wedding costs, with credit cards the preferred mode of payment (35.7%).
Christmas Confessions
Date of survey: November 2018

Debt the death knell of a relationship

  • If you’ve got some debt, it may become your scarlet letter. In many cases, debt can be a relationship deal-breaker. More than three-quarters (77.55%) of American adults can’t look past credit card debt of $12,615.96 or more.
  • Closely following credit cards is student loan debt, with 76.20% of Americans saying more than $51,000 in education loans is too much for a relationship.
  • Our findings should come as little surprise: According to a study commissioned by Ramsey Solutions, couples who fight about money carry roughly $30,000 in debt.
Holiday spending
Date of survey: November 2018

Can buy me love

  • Valentine’s Day — the Hallmarkiest of all card holidays — each year forces loving couples to shell out money on roses and plush toys that find their way into the trash in a matter of hours.
  • However, about 25.3% of American adults say enough to celebrating on February 14th by celebrating Valentine’s Day late to save some cash.
  • Women (26.1%) are more likely than men (24.4%) to celebrate Valentine’s Day later, and millennials (41.6%) are the generation most likely to move the date to save coin.
Sale purchase regrets
Article date: September 2018

Marry your way to cheaper auto insurance rates

  • While so much of what we’ve learned is bleak news for relationships and finances, there’s one glimmer of hope to coupling: married people pay less for car insurance.
  • Those who are married pay an average $313 less for their auto insurance than they did in their single days. Women save roughly $145, while men save about $120.

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Written by

Rachel Dix-Kessler

Rachel Dix-Kessler is a former public relations manager at finder.com. She's at the forefront of personal finance and trends affecting Americans, helping them to make better and more informed financial decisions. See full profile

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