2024-02-15 03:30:39
Germany’s couples often argue about their shared finances. One in five relationships has already failed because of this.
Opposites attract, they say. But whether the attraction lasts is another question. Relationships are likely to be more stable if the partners tick similarly. Would you rather live in the city or in the country? Do you want children? And how much money do you spend on what?
A representative survey by the financial app “Forget Finance” now shows how important the last question is in keeping a partnership alive. According to this, common financial goals are important for 92 percent of couples, but there are often differences of opinion about how to handle money. Four out of ten people say that financial issues have already been the reason for a major argument. One in five relationships even broke up because of this.
Women are more dependent on their partner
Men draw the line somewhat more often than women. 25 percent of male respondents have already broken up because of money disagreements. For women it is only 19 percent. This may also be due to the fact that women are, on average, more likely to become financially dependent.
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Almost every second man (48 percent) says that he is the one who takes care of the finances alone. For women it is only 34 percent. A third of those surveyed stated that both partners obtain balanced information, make suggestions and drive decisions forward.
Almost every second couple does not have a joint account
It is fitting that many couples organize their joint finances exclusively through separate accounts. Almost half of them (46 percent) do not have a joint account. A quarter, however, do not separate their finances at all. They are managed entirely via a shared account.
Expert advises: take salary differences into account
A differentiated picture also emerges when it comes to the question of how couples divide costs among themselves: four out of ten couples (44 percent) always divide their joint expenses differently. Almost a third (30 percent) opted for a split in half. Only one in five couples (20 percent) divide the costs proportionately according to income. 6 percent of men say they pay for all expenses alone, while the figure for women is only 1 percent.
“When it comes to regulating finances within a partnership, there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” says Konradin Breyer, managing director and founder of “Forget Finance”. “If you value things being fair, you should definitely take differences in income into account and make sure that both partners can maintain their independence.”
Retirement provision is becoming more of a focus
The three-account model offers a good basis for this and at the same time reduces the organizational effort, for example when sharing common expenses. “In this way, many disputes can be avoided and there is more focus on the “we” and planning for the future together,” says Breyer.
For many, this also includes the topic of retirement planning. Three quarters of the couples either make provisions together, each individually or they combine both. “Here, too, it is worth carefully examining whether building assets together or separately is more beneficial for the respective couple,” says Breyer. Mothers in particular are still more likely to put their careers behind them than men, which affects their later retirement. Financial compensation for educational work could help.
About the methodology
“Forget Finance” had the representative survey carried out by the market and opinion research institute Appinio in November 2023. 1,002 people between the ages of 30 and 45 who were in a relationship during the survey period were surveyed.