Читать книгу Divorce Dollars - Akeela Davis - Страница 4

Lovers’ quarrels are not generally about money.

Divorce cases generally are.

— Mason Cooley (b. 1927), US aphorist

A large percentage of divorcing couples cited finances as one of the major areas of marital conflict. This is true for all income brackets. In her book When Money Is the Drug, Donna Boundy states that two common money issues fuel most marital fights: the first is unmet expectations (see Chapter 8 for more discussion of this factor) and the second is differing financial priorities. Ironically, most couples getting married, even for the second or third time, never discuss expectations or finances prior to the big day.

The psychological and emotional issues associated with money are numerous, and for the most part, lie outside the scope of this book. However, to illustrate potential problem behaviors associated with money in a relationship, I have broken down the behavior into two common patterns: spending profiles and risk profiles. It can be useful to have an understanding of these behaviors, because financial patterns that surfaced during your marriage can also influence the behavior of both you and your spouse during the divorce settlement negotiations. I will also suggest some strategies by which you may be able to make your path to a settlement somewhat smoother than it might otherwise be.