Ready To Go To Work For You

Secret shopping costs people money — and their marriages

On Behalf of | Oct 17, 2013 | Divorce |

It isn’t just overly dramatic events such as extramarital affairs that can lead to divorce. The everyday habits and the damage those habits can have in the long-term can take a tremendous toll on marriages in Arizona and throughout the world.

Every day, husbands and wives spend money. A study about spouses’ credit card use and honesty indicates that the more honest that spouses are about the credit they use, the less likely they will be to get a divorce. Researchers questioned men and women and found that about 10 percent of their divorces ended at least partly because of secret credit card spending.

Money is a central issue to the stability and health of a marriage. Generally, it is wise for spouses to have similar goals and habits regarding finances, including budget, credit card use and savings goals. Other studies prove that discord over finances is a popular cause of divorce.

And when money matters instigate the need for divorce, the money matters don’t go away just by filing for the split. During a divorce, money and debt remain issues that must be settled. The financial agreements made during the divorce process can determine not just who owes whom spousal support, but how debt is divided. Also, if there is one party who knows the other’s dangerous spending habits, he or she should make sure that they no longer share credit cards and could, therefore, be held liable for their ex’s spending habits.

There are various causes for divorce, depending on specific couples’ situations. Whether it is secret spending or other things that make parties incompatible, a family law attorney can help explain how a divorce or separation could work to resolve an unhappy situation.

Source: Huffington Post, “Secret Credit Card Spending And Divorce Linked In New Survey,” Oct. 14, 2013