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We at R29 are fans of just about every relationship status out there — provided it's a healthy one. If you're single and loving it, awesome. Dedicated to ethical non-monogamy? Love it. In a happy couple and everything's hunky-dory? Great! You and your sweetie are sure to be together for the long haul — just as long as you've had many serious conversations about your finances, that is.
What's that? You guys haven't talked about money yet? Well, this is awkward.
We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but according to new survey results from LearnVest, one in four people has broken up with a partner over money problems. That's no small number: One in four means that any given group of friends likely includes at least one person who has experienced a finance-fueled breakup. Plus, 77% of millennials say their finances are more of a source of stress in their relationship than sex is, according to LearnVest.
Why is that? Is it because there exists a sort of social script for how to ask for what we want in bed, whereas talking about money is just plain...unsexy? How can we turn that around and make sure those important conversations happen?
We spoke with LearnVest founder and CEO Alexa von Tobel, CFP, to find the answers to those questions and more. Read on for von Tobel's top tips for how to keep your finances from destroying your relationship.
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