Premarital Counseling Questions: Financial Matters

A friend married to a very wealthy man learned how the husband got so rich after marriage. He saved everything and spent nothing. He controlled the budget in details and spared her a little for groceries and something else. It was no surprise when their marriage eventually ended up in divorce. She would never have married him if she knew how he behaved in regards to financial matters. A report released in America noted that the divorce rate has lingered around fifty percent since mid of 80s. This fact suggests a necessary for engaged couples to have premarital counseling questions related to financial matters. The following lines in this article will provide you samples of premarital questions that serve as preventive tool to avoid later regret. You both should answer some questions in separate rooms in writing. You should be sure to have enough time and think before jotting down each answer. The common questions should cover 1)the amount of money that you can go without telling your spouse firstrn2)your priority in financial budget: paying off house, getting out of debt, establishing emergency fund, retirement preparationrn3)your preference of separate or joint accountsrn4)the amount and type of debtrn5)your feeling when borrowing money from parents Having completed some premarital counseling questions on financial matters above, it is time to communicate and discuss the result of each party. You will need a pad and paper to make some notes for further discussion. You need to be very honest and upfront with your expectations and thoughts this time. For instance, if your spouse thinks it does not matter to spend $2,000 without checking first, and if you disagree, say so. You may find some other surprises and ways in which you are compatible. Be sure you discuss in depth about your marital goals.rnWhat you find in this communication phase when discussing some premarital counseling questions should be followed-up by proper action at later engagement. Consider the premarital homework as follows: a.Clarify your marital goals both short and long term. Write them down in paper, later you should use these as your financial compass. b.Start working to achieve those goals. If you plan to get out of debt, you should immediately start to pay-off your personal debt. Be sure that at this time you do not pay off your later spouse’s debt. The one with no debt, however, should open a saving account to guarantee that debt after marriage. c.Create your budgets. At this time, you each are required to propose your own budget since you are financially separated. It is a great preparation when you someday are living using the same budget you create. d.Create a joint budget. When you are approaching the marriage day, you should work out on a hypothetical joint budget. You both should agree in sacrifices you have to make to reach those targets sooner. Money is serious problem is marriage. Above samples of premarital counseling questions should be your future guidance to control your financial matters.