My husband pays the mortgage and I pay for all the other house stuff like gas/electric/phone/home owner's dues & insurance/cable and waste management (yeah, this state sucks about what it charges)...
And the bills I pay are on top of the other personal bills I incur--such as cell phone and personal items--car, car insurance, hair, nails, waxing, etc...
He pays for his car & car insurance, cell phone, golf green's fees, etc...
We have our own independent accounts. He makes more than I do. If we combined our efforts, our joint taxes would be atrocious. By his income alone, he'd owe well over $30K. And the property is in his name... I take everything out for my taxes, so I expect some back... But if we combined our accounts, I don't see one cent!!!
We are trying to set up a household fund. We want to make a safe, decent percentage and pay all the household bills off of it. But interests rates are poor for savings and checking accounts. And money markets or mutual funds are somewhat risky without putting money into it monthly. Where I live, I found a savings account that pays 0.75% per month with no minimum balance... But I know I can do better with a mutual fund that's balanced more conservatively... Does anybody have any suggestions or ideas???
Another item was because my husband and I are in our 30's when we got married, we did not ask for the usual "Crate and Barrel" gifts--we asked for gift cards from the Home Depot and Lowe's for money. We wanted a Bridal Mortgage Registry, but it was MY MOM that got too psycho about asking her friends to donate for that kind of gift... I HAD to register at C&B... But I told everyone just to give us Home Depot/Lowe's cards...
So money issues are a huge issue for most couples. Someone is too spendthrifty and the other person is miserly. Some folks save up for their items, others just splurge. Make sure your S.O. has similar financial values as you do...
And, it has been said before, but it is extremely unwise to pool ALL the money in a pot and not have your own pot to pee in... Married or not, you have got to have a side account in your own name with your folks that he or she cannot touch. So when you do have those financial rainy days, which often happen without warning, you have some way out of it.
In several states (and I did think it was a Federal law), all debts incurred by one person, once married, both folks owe... If your S.O. has children from another situation and does not make any money and owe's child support, the Fed's will take from your check to pay for those children--I have seen that done...
So, make sure you have similar financial values and characteristics... What you can put up with and what you cannot deal with... That goes further than LOVE can take you...
'Cuz when the last time that LOVE bought you clothes--it's like dat, and that's the way it is...