Millions hiding debt from their partner

Hiding debt from one another in a relationship can erode trust, says psychologist Victoria Kasunic.

What would you do if you found out your partner was $20,000 in debt and "forgot" to tell you?

This situation of husbands and wives lying to each other or withholding information about their finances is not so unusual.

Around the country, one in six Australians admit to hiding their debt from their spouse, according to research by financial comparison website RateCity.

It also found that 15 per cent of us did not reveal their personal debt to their partner until they were engaged or married.

This may not comes as a surprise to many, given Australians' reliance on debt and credit - in 2013 we spent about $500 million a month on credit card interest.

Lying to your partner about how much we spend, owe or what we're doing with joint accounts can impact the trust in the relationship, says psychologist Victoria Kasunic.

"It can be one of the hardest things to talk about," says Kasunic, a consultant on ABC's Making Couples Happy.

"And poor communication is one of the most common underlying factors as to why relationships end."

So what can be done if you are lying to your partner about finances?

"These things have a tendency to come out eventually, so talk about things before they are a problem."

When you discuss the topic, Kasunic suggests making a plan about how the partner with the debt will pay it off.

"It's the responsibility of the person who has incurred it, so talk about how they will pay it off and still contribute to the relationship."

RateCity marketing director Ali Cassim says options for reducing debt as fast as possible include switching to a credit card with a lower interest rate, refinancing into a low-rate personal loan or consolidating it into your home loan.

"A lighter debt will make for a brighter relationship," he says.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


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