Financial infidelity is one of the top reasons for divorce. Many couples lie about their financial habits so they can buy what they want without having to answer to someone when they get home. The stress of managing household finances can take a serious toll, and cause us to hide purchases and money. Take this quiz to see if your spouse might be cheating.
1) When tidying up the house, you often find:
a. Crumpled receipts in a pile on the desk.
b. Items you’ve never seen before tucked away in the closet without any price tags.
c. Neatly organized bank statements and receipts in a file folder.
2) When your spouse comes home from work, she:
a. tells you about a great sale that she just couldn’t pass up.
b. quickly rushes to another room to put mysterious packages away.
c. checks the online household checking account and makes sure the check register matches.
3) When you ask how much your spouse spent on an item, he:
a. quotes a price above your agreed upon dollar limit and attempts to explain why it was a reasonable purchase.
b. gets defensive and dodges the question.
c. tells you without hesitation.
4) When filing a joint tax return, your 1040 form shows:
a. evidence of early withdrawals from CD’s.
b. your spouse’s salary is significantly higher than he told you it was.
c. no discrepancies.
5) When you pick up the mail, you notice:
a. an increase in the number of bills.
b. sudden mailings from a bank that neither of you (to your knowledge) do business with.
c. nothing out of the ordinary.
Your Results:
Mostly A’s: The good news is your spouse is not being financially unfaithful. The bad news is your spouse is being financially irresponsible. If you don’t have one already, hire a financial planner to help you sort out the mess.
Mostly B’s: Your spouse is cheating on you financially. Confront him or her and get to the bottom of this problem before it continues to get out of control.
Mostly C’s: You have nothing to worry about. Your spouse is financially faithful and responsible with money.
Sheiresa Ngo is the consumer affairs editor at Black Enterprise.
Read more on figuring out your finances with your partner or spouse: