Nearly half of recently married Australians are retaining separate transaction accounts following their nuptials, while a further 32 per cent are also keeping separate savings accounts, according to finder.com.au.
The survey of recently married Australians conducted in 2016 showed 21 per cent had separate credit cards and seven per cent did not share financial responsibility for mortgages. In addition, nearly a quarter (22 per cent) had secret spending habits ranging from clothes to guilt food that their spouse was unaware of.
Finder.com.au money expert, Bessie Hassan, said that it was only logical for couples with similar savings and spending measures to combine forces on finance.
“Getting married doesn’t mean you have to merge finances with your spouse, but it can make sense for couples with similar money goals in mind,” she said.
“Some couples may be concerned about enabling their partner to control their finances, while others may be worried about their partners’ spending habits.
“Newlyweds will join forces with savings or transaction accounts but not so much with finance accounts.”
More women than men were likely to have separate transaction accounts, as well as keep secret spending habits. Conversely, 24 per cent of men had a separate credit card, compared with 20 per cent of women.
Hassan said transparency would be the key for spouses who kept the majority of their finances separate, and that there could be extra benefits ahead.
“Some savings accounts offer a higher interest rate but only up to a certain balance, so having individual savings accounts effectively doubles the amount you can save at a competitive rate,” she said.
“Before tying the knot, have a frank conversation with your other half about any outstanding debts or future plans.”
The survey also found younger couples were more likely to merge their finance, while Generation X were most likely (45 per cent) to have separate transaction accounts.
