According to a 2014 Survey from the National Endowment for Financial Education, 1 out of 3 couples have a partner who has lied about their financial situation to their partner.

And 76% of those partners said that financial deception has adversely affected their relationships.  As I wrote in last week’s Relationship Tip, any secret can lead to a negative downward spiral in an intimate couple.

If you are keeping any secret, whether it is about how much money you have, how much money you make or how much money you spend, I would suggest that you explore your worst fears about exposing the truth to your partner.  There are rare extenuating circumstances that make withholding the truth, especially temporary, the best choice, but that is rare.

In most cases, a relationship is far better served when both partners know what is going on financially.  Protecting yourself and/or your partner weakens you both and the relationship.

Be brave, be honest and deal with the repercussions like adults.  In the end, the relationship can now have a “team feel” to it and you can both problem solve together.

Here’s to getting the love you want!