On behalf of Mohajer Law Firm, APC on Thursday, October 25, 2018.
You have probably heard that money issues sit at the root of a lot of divorce cases. However, maybe you think the issue is always a lack of money and financial assets. A man with an addiction problem leaves his family with nothing. A woman who is a sole breadwinner and loses her job finds her family breaking up under the stress. A couple that can’t make ends meet has to end their marriage.
These things do happen, and you can find plenty of people who have been through it, but does that mean that wealth insulates you from divorce? No, not at all. Even wealthy couples can get divorced because of issues that ultimately revolve around money. Here are a few ways it can happen.
You look at money differently
You are wealthy now, but you did not have much growing up. As a result, you love to save your money. You know how valuable it is and how hard you worked for it.
Your spouse, however, has always had more than enough. They just like to spend, assuming there will always be more.
This difference in the way you view your financial assets can cause a lot of stress. Your spouse may feel like you are too controlling when you tell them to rein in their spending. At the same time, you may feel like your spouse is wasting all the money you earn. Either way, it’s a problem.
You keep financial secrets
Marriages are built on trust and communication. Keeping secrets about anything is problematic. However, money is one of the things most often at the heart of these secrets.
Maybe you do not want to tell your spouse about your spending because you know they wouldn’t approve. Maybe you’re keeping secret accounts in case you ever need them. Secrets can put a rift between you and your spouse and can lead to divorce when they finally come to light.
Your levels of control are not the same
Your spouse takes care of your finances. At first, you enjoyed it. You don’t like paying bills anyway. As the marriage went on, though, you started to realize that your spouse was controlling you. In time, it becomes impossible for you to make your own financial decisions.
This type of controlling attitude may even constitute financial abuse. It is not healthy. It can make you feel trapped in the relationship. Adults need to be equal in a marriage, and when this type of financial inequality becomes clear, it may lead to divorce.
Your rights
These are just three examples, but they help show how wealth does not protect you from divorce. Make sure you know your rights if you and your spouse split up.