Poll: joint checking accounts or separate?

Maverick

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2000
5,900
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This is a question for married people or people living with their significant other. Do you guys have a joint checking account or separate checking accounts?
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
No joint account until you've had "the talk" - establish the ground rules first. I have a friend going through hell right now because of his wife's complete and utter irresponsibility with the bank account. His truck broke down and then he found out his wife spent all the money before payday. Now he's without a ride for a week, because the garage won't start on it until he can pay them something to get started.

If you suspect the other person isn't very responsible with money, just don't have joint accounts. Let them screw up their own credit record.

IMHO if you're not married, you should not have joint accounts. Too much risk, no real benefit.
 

Encryptic

Diamond Member
May 21, 2003
8,885
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We just have the one checking/savings accounts in my name that I had for years before I got married. Planning on getting a joint account eventually. Long story...
 

oog

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2002
1,721
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Joint, but we have pretty similar ideas on how much money we can spend without telling the other person first.
 

Maverick

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2000
5,900
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76
my gf claims she'll never get a joint account with me because I spend too much. Damn that hot deals forum.
 

Noirish

Diamond Member
May 2, 2000
3,959
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one joint account for general expenses maybe.
otherwise, i think each person should be responsible for his/her own money.
so there won't be any finger pointing in the future.
 

Hammer

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
13,217
1
81
if it was me i'd have a joint one and a "discretionary" one that she wouldn't know about. but that's me ;)
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
No shared checking/savings accounts, but she is an authorized user on my CC as am I on hers.

I could screw her over a lot more than she could hurt me, her card never carries a balance.

:D

Viper GTS
 

dquan97

Lifer
Jul 9, 2002
12,010
3
0
I'm planning on having a joint and two separate savings/checking account. That way, we can each have discretionary $
 

anxi80

Lifer
Jul 7, 2002
12,294
2
0
Originally posted by: Hammer
if it was me i'd have a joint one and a "discretionary" one that she wouldn't know about. but that's me ;)
heh, i would do the same. except my account would be in an off-shore account, most likely the cayman islands. just in case of a split, cant be touched and no one needs to know about it. if i need to access it, ill have a friend who'll reside there that will mail me cashier checks. now thats what i call a trusting relationship. :D
 

Raspewtin

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 1999
3,634
0
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seperate, seperate trusts as well. Not only that we balance the portfolio seperately as well. so it's not like we put all the bonds in one and all the stocks in the other. It pays off big time IMO, and not b/c of relationship issues. For us it's risk management.
 

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
26,073
4,720
126
Joint all the way. We each know what we can afford and we each spend in that limit. Before marriage we took a marriage test (required by her church). We were the only couple her church ever saw who scored 100% on the financial compatability part.

Those of you with separate accounts often sound like you have other issues that need to be fixed first (such as why there isn't enough emergency money in the checking account for the broken truck... Always have several months worth of money in liquid funds and you'll be set.)
 

Zombie

Platinum Member
Dec 8, 1999
2,359
1
71
Originally posted by: kranky
No joint account until you've had "the talk" - establish the ground rules first. I have a friend going through hell right now because of his wife's complete and utter irresponsibility with the bank account. His truck broke down and then he found out his wife spent all the money before payday. Now he's without a ride for a week, because the garage won't start on it until he can pay them something to get started.

If you suspect the other person isn't very responsible with money, just don't have joint accounts. Let them screw up their own credit record.

IMHO if you're not married, you should not have joint accounts. Too much risk, no real benefit.

aah, its almost opposite for me. I wanna buy stuff and enjoy and GF seems to be keeping tabs. God knows what she is saving up for.
 

Ime

Diamond Member
May 3, 2001
3,661
0
76
My wife and I have joint checking and savings. We closed our seperate accounts after we got married.

I control the finances. My wife is allowed to spend our money, but she has to tell me before she does it so I can make sure we have money in the bank.

It's worked out real well.
 

Ime

Diamond Member
May 3, 2001
3,661
0
76
Originally posted by: Zombie
Originally posted by: kranky
No joint account until you've had "the talk" - establish the ground rules first. I have a friend going through hell right now because of his wife's complete and utter irresponsibility with the bank account. His truck broke down and then he found out his wife spent all the money before payday. Now he's without a ride for a week, because the garage won't start on it until he can pay them something to get started.

If you suspect the other person isn't very responsible with money, just don't have joint accounts. Let them screw up their own credit record.

IMHO if you're not married, you should not have joint accounts. Too much risk, no real benefit.

aah, its almost opposite for me. I wanna buy stuff and enjoy and GF seems to be keeping tabs. God knows what she is saving up for.

You GF is SAVING money? Dude, she's nesting big time. Better watch out or you'll find yourself walking down the aisle soon...
 

Zombie

Platinum Member
Dec 8, 1999
2,359
1
71
yes that has come up more than once. I am guessing engagement around october and then we will see. She does have tons of college loans to payoff so I guess in a way I understand. The amount of my loans is negligible to hers.