when to talk about financial issues with your partner?

recently, my longtime friend tannie asked me this question, and it got me thinking.

tannie has been such a great friend to me. we met through a past job we both worked at. she's this super amazing girl—pretty and incredibly nice. honestly, it's rare to find someone who is both that kind of pretty and that kind of nice, but that's tannie.

she's dating this guy named hiro. hiro’s a good guy, but he’s a lot like me—practical. maybe because he's japanese and i had lived in japan for a year, so i know.

i know he loves tannie, but sometimes, when you’re a practical person, you can end up overlooking other people's feelings without meaning to.

Tannie and Hiro

then, she asked me, "jhana, when to talk about financial issues with your partner?"

for me, the best time to start talking about finances with your partner is when your money starts to intertwine with theirs. even if it feels a bit uncomfortable at first. there’s no perfect moment in a relationship to start these conversations.

once you see that your relationship might be long-term, it's smart to start talking about money more often. having these discussions early on can really benefit your partnership in the long run. the key is to approach these talks with an open mind, love, and respect.

so, when it’s time to talk about money, be open and honest. share your preferences for handling finances, discuss your goals for the future, and make sure to give some advance notice before diving into these topics. it might be uncomfortable at first, but acknowledging that discomfort can help you both navigate the conversation with care.