We didn't talk about our exact salaries until about a week before the wedding. We did talk about debt early on (he had a mortgage but neither of us had any other debt), and we knew I made a lot less than he did (about half). We'd talked about each keeping our own accounts and contributing the same percentage to a joint account. However, we didn't share the actual numbers regarding savings and salaries until right before we got married.

We know each other's salaries. However, after some spectacularly terrible financial decisions, he will not be privy to my inheritance info.

After a year of dating, we decided to move in together. We had to decide on a budget for the rental and other joint expenses. So we had to discuss salaries. How else would that work?

Anonymous wrote:We got married in college.
"I make 10.50 at Chick-Fil-A."
"Can I get a job there? I only make 7 at Toys R Us."

lol.. that's kind of cute, though.

For us, it was early on... way before we moved in together. There was no way I was going to move in with someone who was not financially responsible.

DH and I are both immigrants and neither of us find discussing money with people close to us as rude. All of our siblings and parents know how much we all make. NBD.

I think after we decided to get married? It never really came up before then.

We got married in our mid-30 and shared our financial situations when we got serious about dating - a year or two before we got married.

In the two decades since, we've had just the joint account. Everything goes into it and everything comes out of it. Luckily for us, there's not enough money to create any problems. (neither of us makes much for this area <<$140k)

We were engaged in college and were the same double major applying for similar jobs. We'd compare job offers together. There was never a time that we didn't know what the other made.

Once we got married, it's been completely joint finances.

When we got engaged and started discussing renting versus buying. We were both making a decent amount of money so there was no issue of one carrying the bag for the other. Even though my DH ended up making a lot more than me he's never made an issue of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My salary is public, but takes a bit of searching. My now-husband tracked it down before our third date. He figured out I made half as much as him so immediately suggested that I pay for half as much as him on our outings, which we’ve been doing ever since (But now by dumping money into a shared account).

And you find this story charming?

+1

Creepy.

Anonymous wrote:Ironically he doesn't make much for this area ($140K)

We did about a yr in. I was making a work transition and pretty open with him when I was evaluating my options, pros vs cons etc.

He ended up starting a startup at around the same time and has been paying himself a low salary typical for CEO of seed stage tech company.

Before we got married we discussed how much we were making and how much we had each saved. We made close to the same amount but he had saved a lot more which was a bit embarrassing. I don't recall it being a weird or difficult discussion as were were interested in buying a house and we needed to figure out how to do it. Who makes more has never been an issue for us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My salary is public, but takes a bit of searching. My now-husband tracked it down before our third date. He figured out I made half as much as him so immediately suggested that I pay for half as much as him on our outings, which we’ve been doing ever since (But now by dumping money into a shared account).

And you find this story charming?

Not at all. Was the prompt for this thread, “please tell us the charming story of how you and your spouse shared financial information”? No. So I answered honestly. For better or worse, my husband has always been very up front and explicit about financial stuff.

And if you’re hung up on the paying half part, we were never counting pennies. It was more like I bought drinks and he bought dinner.

Anonymous wrote:When we started seriously talking about moving in together. He told me first.

Us too except I calculated his approx salary based on info he told me beforehand. I make more and told him first.

Anonymous wrote:My salary is public, but takes a bit of searching. My now-husband tracked it down before our third date. He figured out I made half as much as him so immediately suggested that I pay for half as much as him on our outings, which we’ve been doing ever since (But now by dumping money into a shared account).

How romantic!