55 Financial Questions You Need to Ask Your Partner

We all know that when it comes to money matters, everything becomes awkward.  Money is the last topic we want to discuss with our partners, but we know we should, right?

When is the right time to ask financial questions to ask your partner? How do you start, and what are the right financial questions for couples depending on their relationship status?

How to talk about your finances before marriage

You’re head-over-heels in love, and you think you’ve found the one. However, something is bothering you – you want to discuss financial questions to ask your partner.

While it may seem awkward for some couples, good financial questions aren’t offensive, and you shouldn’t feel bad for asking them.

It only shows that you and your partner are both mature enough to tackle these types of questions. But of course, we should still be careful when we lay out all the money questions.

Do it at the right time and ask the right questions. Also, make sure that the both of you aren’t hungry, tired, or stressed out.

Related Reading: 8 Key Questions for Better Management of Marriage Finances

55 important financial questions to ask your partner

There are many money questions for couples, and it can be confusing if you don’t know which questions to ask. So we have categorized all financial questions to ask your partner depending on your relationship stage.

15 money questions to ask when you’re newly dating

This is the stage where you and your partner are still in the phase where you’re discovering things about each other. You still spend so much time dating, talking on the phone, and even sending sweet messages.

Of course, we have to be careful not to scare this person with financial questions to ask your partner, right?

So here are 15 questions that will give you a hint of how your partner handles their finances.

1. “Did you get an allowance when you were young?”

This question will show you the person’s experience with money since they were kids.

2. “When did you start working?”

Some people started working at an early age to earn money; some had the privilege to finish school and even rest before looking for a job.

3. “What is the nature of your work?”

By knowing the nature of a person’s work, you will know how financially stable this person is and the average income for their profession.

4. “What do you do with your vacation?”

How a person spends his vacation can pretty much tell you how he spends money.

5. “What is your dream vacation?”

Does this person want a grand vacation or would save for the future? This question can give you an insight into how this person plans for his future.

6. “Is this already your dream job?”

This question will answer if you’re dating someone who’s happy with his work and what they aspire to achieve in their life.

7. “What do you do with your free time?”

Is this person a workaholic, a bookworm, or a person who would have fun on the weekend?

8. “If you won $500,000, how would you spend it?”

Situational questions can be fun, but they can tell you more about how your partner spends.

9. “Do you consider yourself a spender or a saver?”

This is a more directed question about money and spending. You can weigh your partner’s answer to their actions.

10. “Do you think I’m a saver or a spender and why?”

This question will also give you information about how your partner views your spending habits.

11. “Do you love shopping?”

Does this person love shopping or someone who would instead save for the future?

12. “What do your parents do? Do they still work?”

It’s nice to know about your partner’s family. Do they still have to work, or are they enjoying their pension?

13. “What are your short and long-term goals?”

Even if you are still dating, it’s nice to know if you like to have goals in life.

14. “What do you like to spend money on?”

You also want to be aware of how this person wants to spend money. Would it be for leisure, investment, or just save it?

Also Try: How Good Are You and Your Partner at Setting Shared Goals Quiz

15. “Would you save your money or spend it to experience things?”

You will learn if this person has the same point of view as you or not. If you are a saver and your partner is a spender, then you will know if you can work this out or not.

Related Reading: 3 Steps to Financial Success in Marriage

Check out this video to understand how a married couple manages their finances.

15 money questions to ask when you’re seriously dating

Congratulations, you and your partner made it to the next step. Being in a relationship or seriously dating is a leap in any relationship.

It also means you have a few more questions to ask your boyfriend or girlfriend before marriage or even before you think about getting married.

It’s still all about getting to know each other but on a deeper level. Here are 15 financial questions to ask your partner when you are seriously dating.

16. “Do you talk about money matters in your family?”

Being financially aware at a young age will have an impact on how a person handles their finances.

17. “Do you think your parents did well in handling your family’s finances?”

Your partner can share with you what they have learned with their family’s finances.

18. “Are you comfortable talking about money?”

It’s always nice to know if your partner is open about this topic. Learning to be open on how to talk about finances before marriage significantly strengthens your relationship.

Also Try : Relationship Analysis Quiz

19. “Do you budget your money?”

A person who knows how to budget money will also be a wise spender.

20. “Do you have a credit card?”

Credit cards can help us, but if you don’t know how to handle them, it can cause debts.

21. “Do you currently have debts?”

You wouldn’t want to stay in a relationship where debts are kept as secrets, right?

22. “Do you believe in sharing expenses?”

This will give you insight into whether your partner wants always to pay, never pay, or is someone who wants equality in spending.

23. “Do you believe in being transparent with our finances?”

There will be many money questions to ask before marriage and even when you’re married. Knowing that your partner is willing to be transparent with their finances is good to know.

24. “If you still have debts to pay, how do you plan on paying them?”

If your partner still has debts to pay, you would, of course, want to know how they plan on paying them.

25. “If you have debt, do you still plan on getting another one?”

Some people get addicted to debts. We don’t want to be in this situation, so it’s better to know this if we want to move forward in the relationship.

26. “Did you experience bankruptcy?”

A person who has experienced bankruptcy will give you an idea of how this person handles their money.

27. “Do you still have other financial obligations?”

One of the most common issues of couples is when they want to settle down, but they still have other financial obligations. It’s something to discuss before deciding to get married.

28. “Do you want to have your own house someday?”

Another way to know the short-term and long-term goals of the person you like.

29. “Do you see yourself getting married and having a family?”

Of course, we want to know if the person we are with is already planning to settle down. There are also financial questions to ask before marriage, and we have to plan that too.

30. “Are you already planning for your future?”

Before settling down, we want to be sure of our financial stability, right? We have to know if we are choosing a financially responsible person.

15 money questions to ask before getting married

Can you hear the wedding bells? It’s the most exciting phase of one’s relationship. You’re all set and ready to settle down but wait just yet.

There are still questions to ask your fiancé before you get married, and here they are:

31. “How much is our budget for our wedding?”

Make sure to include this in your financial questions to ask your partner. Planning a wedding can be tiring and expensive. Most of all, don’t spend much if you don’t have the budget.

32. “How would we pay for the event?”

Would one person shoulder the whole event, or would it be shared between the two of you?

33. “What’s our budget and plan for our honeymoon?”

How much will the both of you spend on your honeymoon, and how would you pay for it?

34. “Do you believe in “good debt” and “bad debt”?”

Is there such a thing as good debt or bad debt? You and your fiancé should discuss this to avoid future misunderstandings.

35. “Once we get married, would the other person’s debt be shared?”

What if your fiancé still has debts to settle? Will it be shared by the two of you? It’s better to know this beforehand. It’s one of the questions to ask your fiance before getting married.

36. “Do you have enough savings?”

It’s important to talk about your savings and if you are ready to settle down.

37. “Should we combine our finances?”

Preparing for marriage financially can be challenging. You also need to talk about whether you would combine your finances or not.

Also Try : Is Your Marriage Financially Sound?

38. “How would we budget our daily expenses?”

Marriage is a big adjustment. Daily expenses should be budgeted to avoid overspending. Know who will be responsible for this.

39. “Who will handle the budgeting?”

Budgeting isn’t an easy task. It’s tiring and will require planning. Should you or your partner do the budgeting?

40. “If a relative needed financial help, what would be our terms?”

We can’t avoid these situations, and it’s okay to help a family in need. The question here is how much can you share?

41. “Do you want a prenup?”

Some couples decide to have a prenup. It might be something that you should discuss as well.

42. “What are our rules when it comes to spending?”

When you are married, it’s good to be transparent with your spending, especially when sharing your savings and finances. Set some rules to avoid money problems.

43. “Do you already want kids, or should we save first?”

Not all couples are financially prepared to have kids. Discuss this with your partner.

44. “Should we rent or buy a new home?”

Do you have enough budget to buy a new home and a car? Or would you instead save and rent?

Related Reading: 15 Home Buying Tricks for Young Couples

45. “Should we have one savings account or a separate one?”

Would you and your partner decide to share one savings account, or would you feel more comfortable having separate ones? Whatever works for you and your fiancé will be the best decision for your future marriage.

Related Reading: 100 Questions to Ask a Guy

10 money questions to ask when you’re already married

Congratulations! You’re now married and on your way to creating your own family. Of course, you and your spouse should now consider talking about your finances in the long term. Here are some questions that might guide you.

46. “What do you think about our spending habits?”

This is where the both of you start to talk to each other about your spending habits. You can also point out where you can improve.

47. “What do you think we can do to be better?”

Be open to each other and let your spouse know if something is bothering you.

48. “What are our goals as a couple?”

This is another good financial question to ask your spouse. Goal setting is always nice when it comes to finances.

Related Reading: 5 Great Marriage Finance Tips

49. “Do you think we’re doing a good job?”

Let your partner know how much you appreciate their efforts.

50. “How many kids do you want to have?”

If you are already planning to have kids, it’s better to start planning about the expenses.

51. “Would we choose a public or a private school?”

Of course, time flies when you have kids. Soon, you will have to decide if you would go to a public or a private school.

52. “What type of health insurance should we get?”

Related Reading: Should You Get Your Life Insurance Before or After Marriage?

Health insurance is a wise investment. Make sure to discuss the best options that you have as a couple or as a family.

53. “Do you think we would support our parents financially?”

If you and your spouse feel the need to help your parents, it’s best to allot a certain amount in your savings for them.

54. “What should we do if someone asks to borrow money?”

Emergencies happen. If someone you care about needed money, what would be your terms?

55. “Do you agree that we should have our allowance?”

This is another thing that some couples argue about. Sometimes, it’s nice to have your allowance so you won’t feel deprived.

Also Try: Finance Quiz- How Well Are You Managing Your Marriage And Finance?

Conclusion

Opening the topic of finances or money can be tricky, and for some, even offensive. However, with the right approach and using the right words, you can incorporate these financial questions to ask your partner into your conversations.

These questions will help you and your relationship. It will allow both of you to understand how to spend, share, and save your hard-earned money for your future.