What should i do if my spouse hides money?

Cases of financial betrayal are not as common as we seem. In this, the couple hide any expense to avoid argument.

A friend of mine called me. She was nervous. Subliminally she said that she has ended her relationship with her husband. She cannot live with the man who betrayed her. The issue was not about the arrival of another woman in her husband’s life. It was a financial betrayal.

The husband took a loan of millions on a credit card due to his gambling habit. The sequence started by playing poker with friends. But, it became addiction.

The wife knew about this. She agreed to hangout with friends once a week to relieve stress. She did not know that the husband would get addicted to gambling. For this, she (husband) made complete preparations. He got a new credit card made. Created a new email as well. The husband was hopeful that he would take off the debt due to gambling. But, that day did not come. Because today is Valentine’s Day. So, this is a very appropriate time to discuss this subject.

Cases of financial betrayal are not as common as we seem. In this, the couple hide any expense to avoid argument. But it can also have some serious forms which can be a risk to the long-term financial goals of the family. There are many types of financial betrayal.

One of these is to hide income from spouse. There are many reasons for Mian-Biwi not to negotiate with each other on his real income. Some men believe that their income is low and if the wife finds out the right income then she probably will not respect them. There are also women who think that their salary is much less than their husband and because of this they do not talk about it.

There can be many reasons such as fear or embarrassment behind lying about income. We have heard of such people, even when they go to work, they pretend to go to the office every day. Some people lie about their income and increments. The main reason for financial betrayal is avoidance of quarrels.

Couples do not want to bring such issues open which can be debated or cause bitterness in the relationship. It can be difficult for two people who grow up with different family values ​​to agree on many family decisions. Financial decisions are the key in this.

First, it is easier to decide the scope and rules than to seek consent and confirmation. A solution can be to divide the family’s income into three parts. One part will be for the husband, one for the wife and the rest for the family. If both husband and wife save together for long-term goals, then there is no problem about the portion of the expenses that have been set aside.

Second, trust is very important. People differ about their ability to believe and be believed. Husband and wife should try to make such principles which strengthen the faith. For this, transparency, information sharing and negotiation are necessary.

Having joint accounts, sharing information related to accounts, having full knowledge about both financial decisions increases trust. This strengthens the ability to take joint decisions. Thirdly, cooperation can always be done if it is difficult to reach agreement. Couples with different likes and attitudes are like a strong team who can overcome each other’s shortcomings.

They can decide to take financial decisions and share the responsibility based on their forces. If the wife makes a budget and looks at the account, then the husband can find ways to save tax along with planning. Sharing responsibility increases the opportunities for dialogue and it also helps in building mutual understanding and strengthening trust. Despite this, if the couple does not agree to any financial decision or if they find out that their spouse is financially unfaithful, then they should be restrained.

In the event of such a situation, one should talk to each other and try to find the reason. After this, solutions should be found or ways to increase mutual trust. This will not lead to mistrust among the couple and they will understand the importance of taking financial decisions together.

Bhanu Garg: