Can our marriage survive my spouse’s financial secrets?

Have you noticed money missing from your joint savings account? Have you found expensive purchases hidden around your home? Missing money and hidden purchases are just a couple signs that could indicate your spouse may be keeping financial secrets.

Keeping financial secrets appears to be a growing trend, which could be contributing to the rise in divorce rates around the country. If your spouse is one of roughly 40% of Americans committing financial infidelity, it may be helpful to know your options.

Recovering from financial infidelity requires rebuilding trust

Depending on your situation, it may be possible to repair your marriage. To make this happen, you and your spouse may need to have an honest conversation about what happened and come to an agreement about your path forward.

In some situations, it may take years to fix the financial damage caused by your spouse’s secrets. However, it is also important to address the root cause for the infidelity and repair your broken trust.

Financial secrets can complicate divorce

If your trust cannot be repaired, you may choose to end your marriage. However, you should be aware that your spouse’s financial infidelity may affect your divorce outcomes.

For example, if your spouse racked up large debts, you may be responsible for paying back some of those debts. On the other hand, if your spouse purchased numerous expensive items, you may be entitled to some of those assets in your divorce.

Also, if you have reason to distrust your spouse, it may be wise to take additional steps during divorce to be sure your spouse does not continue keeping financial secrets. If hidden assets are not brought to light during the divorce process, you may not receive your fair share of marital assets.

Any type of infidelity can cause trouble for a marriage, and the way you choose to respond to that situation is ultimately up to you. Choosing to end your marriage or not can be a difficult decision to make, but it is one best made when you fully understand your options.