The Hidden Dangers of Financial Infidelity

Yes, financial infidelity.

Before we get any further, we talked about it a little bit there at the top.

But just what is it? Let's give it a little bit of a definition.

This is hiding money, hiding debt, hiding spending.

This is a secret, hidden financial activity kept from your spouse.

Yeah, for one reason or another.

So there's a recent survey by Bankrate.

It found... that 40% of Americans who are married in a partnership or living with a partner, so people who have their finances entwined, now, of course, we recommend maybe certain living conditions over others and certain ways to bring your finances together than others, but Their survey was people who have some of their financial life intertwined.

It found that 40% of them have committed financial infidelity against their partner.

One in three say they have spent or are currently spending more than their spouse or partner would be okay with.

That's crazy.

And among Gen Zers, this is getting even younger, it's two and three.

So it's even more prevalent, if you will.

So again, you mentioned earlier the obvious, the secret accounts, the hidden credit card, the undisclosed debt, the addictions.

Wherever there's addiction, there's usually some sort of financial tag that's just following indirectly or directly right behind it.

But there can be some gray areas, if you will.

It's the cash dash.

It's the, I got, you know, some money for my birthday and I'm just not going to tell anybody.

Or it's the, you know, my

grandpa died and my parents, you know, gave us $3,000 and I'm just going to keep it off the books.

I'm not going to mention it.

Or I'm just keeping $1,000 in cash just in case.

And I'm just not saying, you

know,

people in their heads feel it's grayer because it's, Oh, I didn't open up a secret account without my spouse on it.