What You Should Know About Your Spouse’s Money

Here’s a pop quiz for married couples.

Do you know your spouse’s salary? What about the balance of your partner’s 401(k) — and credit card? Bonus points if you can cite how much your husband or wife thinks you need to live comfortably in retirement, or even what age he or she hopes that will happen.

If you’re like most married people, you’re sure you’ll ace this test. Nearly nine in 10 couples say they communicate well with their partner about money, and 94 percent say they are open and transparent with their better half about finances, according to studies released last year by the financial services companies Fidelity and Ameriprise.

In reality? Not so much.

The Fidelity survey found that more than a third of couples couldn’t correctly identify their partner’s salary within at least $25,000 of their actual pay. Over half disagreed about much they needed to save for retirement. Research shows similar disconnects among many couples when it comes to debt, net worth, savings and lifestyle goals.

That’s not even counting the outright secrets that about four in 10 married couples admit to keeping about money, according to a 2025 Bankrate survey. Leading the list of indiscretions: spending more than their partner would be OK with, followed by hiding debt, credit cards or savings accounts.

“About 50 percent of the couples I talk to don’t know their combined household income and 90 percent of those with debt don’t know how much they owe,” said Ramit Sethi, author of the book “Money for Couples” and host of a podcast of the same name. “But beyond facts and figures, the most important thing couples don’t know about their partner is what their vision is of a rich life — what ideally they hope their money will allow them to do and accomplish together.”

Ignorance Isn’t Bliss

This lack of knowledge about key aspects of a spouse’s finances can hinder planning for retirement and other goals, such as buying a home or paying for a child’s college education, advisers said. After all, it’s tough to get to your destination if you don’t know what road you’re actually on.