In a marriage, dividing financial responsibilities can be practical, but stepping away from financial awareness altogether can create unexpected vulnerabilities. Even in relationships built on trust, both partners benefit from understanding what they own, what they owe, how their assets are structured, and the decisions shaping their financial future.
In this piece we use lessons from Belle Burden’s Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage to explore the complex relationship between money, marriage, trust, and financial independence. Through the experiences portrayed in the book, we examine how different financial histories can influence a couple’s approach to money, how a lack of transparency can gradually create imbalance, and why emotional trust should be accompanied by continued financial awareness.
The paper also considers the role of prenuptial agreements, asset ownership, shared financial goals, and trusted advisors in helping couples build a more transparent and collaborative financial life. Ultimately, it offers an important reminder: you can delegate financial responsibilities without relinquishing your understanding of your own financial life.
Click below to read the full paper, written by Wealth Planner Janet Schwartz, and discover the questions every couple should be able to answer about their financial life.
