The Real Reason Marriages Fail

The real reason marriages failAccording to the American Psychological Association, nearly half of marriages end in divorce. Author and money coach Deborah Price says one of the top reasons is money issues. She joins Away We Grow host Diane Mizota to discuss this important topic.

Related: The new money rules for couples

Price says that there are many ways that money issues can contribute to divorce. She explains, "Some of the most common [issues] are things like financial infidelity--not sharing or being transparent with money. Also, using money as a means of power and control…. Not having clear agreements relative to money. How you spend what you value, etcetera. And also just not understanding each other's core money issues and triggers, and therefore walking into them constantly and creating a lot of conflict as a result."

Related: 5 tough questions to help tame overspending

She adds that a lot of the way you handle money can stem from your childhood. "So, for example, you inherited the tendency toward saving and/or spending from your family of origin," she says. "But most of that is unconscious."

In Price's book, she notes that money is often a symptom of another issue. She explains that overspending or compulsive shopping on the outside may actually have a larger meaning within a relationship, such as "one partner's attempt to express what they can't say openly in their marriage. Which is, 'I don't want you to control me all the time.' Or, 'Just because you make the money, you shouldn't be able to the only one who decides.' So it's a form of rebellion."

She adds, "It's a way that we either demonstrate or withhold love. It is a very powerful medium, and yet it's taboo, so we don't talk about it."

For couples struggling to prevent a financially induced divorce, Price advises that they should start understanding their own patterns and behaviors. She also suggests that couples learn how to talk about money and to get on the same page. In addition, she recommends "starting to set up strategies that allow you to work together, that teach you to begin to collaborate rather than conspire."

Finally, Price says that couples need to be proactive about money issues. "Get help and support sooner than later. And stay committed to the love that you've invested in."

For more information, check out Deborah Price's book, The Heart Of Money: A Couple's Guide To Creating True Financial Intimacy.

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