Divorce can happen for many reasons, such as infidelity, parenting conflicts or communication issues. One of the things that people don’t expect to cause a problem in their marriage is money.
Money could become a problem for the marriage in the following scenarios:
You make a lower income than your spouse
It’s not uncommon for one partner to have a salary that’s higher or lower than their spouse. You may make less than your spouse, which can create conflicting decisions as to how your money is spent. Your spouse, for example, may ask you to participate in investments that are outside of your budget. If you can’t afford these investments, your spouse may blame you for not wanting to be involved in certain decisions. Or, they may hold the investment over your head.
Your spouse is using money to control you
Your spouse may make more money than you, or you may be a stay-at-home spouse. If your spouse pays for the majority of things, then they may use their income to control what you can and can’t do. This can also affect who you hang out with or how you raise your children.
Your spouse wants to spend your inheritance
You may have gained an inheritance from a deceased family member. You may have plans as to how your new assets are used, but your spouse may have other ideas. How you spend your inheritance could create issues if your spouse believes they have a right to it and resents you for spending it how you wish.
Your spouse has been hiding debt
A large issue in many marriages happens when a spouse hides debt from the other. You may have uncovered evidence that your spouse has a large amount of debt. They might even increase their debt obligations through gambling or overspending. Their debt could affect you in many ways, especially if your spouse has no plans on paying it off.
If you’re in a high-asset marriage and you are having issues with your spouse, then you could be considering divorce. You may need to reach out for legal guidance as you discuss your options.