My husband and I have always been equal partners in those areas of our lives and I think all partners should be. I certainly wouldn’t have qualified for mortgages on multiple homes. My husband’s income was more than enough to cover all our bills and still invest a lot. My final paycheck from work included a severance check worth more than $62,000. They help you through complicated and difficult love situations like deciphering mixed signals, getting over a breakup, or anything else you’re worried about. I am homeschooling our seven children, and I work hard at home, but I still feel awful. Community Answer. I made a mistake marrying him and want a divorce, but everything is in his name, including our car. Being financially dependent on someone can be incredibly difficult. My situation is unique. I hate feeling like I am stuck in a problem with no solution. Because I’m not making the big bucks in this relationship (at least for the time being), I feel like I always have to make up for it in other ways. Hi. A lot of codependent partners feel anxiety … However, we’re in the new decade now. First, you should know that I struggled with the decision to leave the workforce. Don’t I seem like such a fun and funny person in this comment? While there are certainly breadwinning women in the world and kudos to them, there are plenty of other women who could not support their current lifestyle entirely on their own. If you haven’t read it yet, take a gander and then pop back over here. I am constantly trying out new business ideas (without any investment capital) and then failing at them because I have seven kids that are home with me 24-7, and anything added to that is apparently too hard for me to manage, so I give up and feel even worse–so defeated. Many married working women are also financially dependent. On being financially dependent on my husband As inspired by one of our featured SAHM stories, I asked the question on my Instagram stories: “What are your thoughts on being financially dependent on your husband or partner?” It is a topic that I feel is widely relevant to stay-at-home moms. Send me an e-mail or visit my website holtcpafirm.com.. I’m sounding off in this article so men listen up! I never felt bad for being dependent on my husband, but I did feel guilty for giving up my income. If wisely invested, that money could have grown to more than $3 million throughout my lifetime. You’re a superhero for reading all of this whining. What's more, financial abuse is often the first sign of dating violence and domestic abuse. Terms of Service, I’m Financially Dependent On My Partner And It Sucks, You Know You’re In An Almost Relationship If You’re Sending Him These Texts, 12 Reasons You’re Single Even Though You’re A Catch, 14 Little Things That Look Like Love But Are Actually Manipulation, “Duty Dating” Is A Thing And You Need To Start Doing It ASAP, I Didn’t Understand Why I Kept Ending Up With Toxic Guys Until I Realized These Important Things, What’s Your Hottest Quality? 5 TIPS TO LESSEN YOUR FINANCIAL RISK. Now, I see that maybe I’ve been super prideful and arrogant when it comes to money. The purpose of this post was also to point out that most of us are financially dependent. This is true whether you stay-home or continue to work. Not earning as much money makes me feel like I have less say in the relationship. Did you know that women earn less than 18% of all computer science degrees? At the time, I didn't know much about financial abuse—when one partner controls the other through money. Does this lackadaisical approach keep most stay-at-home parents financially dependent on their spouses? I stepped into that position after saving for over a decade. That is a lot of work. Most women who quit their jobs probably haven’t spent twelve years earning and saving as much as I did. I am stuck here wasting my life, knowing that when the children are grown I will have nothing to show for my time spent raising them–professionally speaking. It’s time to modern up and abolish the … If we wish to remove the need for dependence, we must also fight for equal pay and shrink the wage gap. There is no reason you cannot step into a career later in life. My husband provided all the financial support. Its a very bad place to be in, i can understand. Our investments at the time totaled over $1 million. That might make me sound like an extremely empty and shallow millennial but the truth is, money’s not a bad thing and you kind of need it. In 2011 I left my high-paying job to become a stay-at-home mom. I have got to finish school, and with the job market as it is, I'm not going to be able to find a job that pays enough to live on AND go to school full-time at the same time. It felt strange to give up on that suddenly. Kids are expensive – and so is life! That way, I didn’t have to stick my hand out and get help from other people. We are having very different experiences. There is no denying that fact. It may result in a paycheck someday, but it certainly not this week. Exchanging money is what helps you feel like you’re taking an active part in creating your life the way you envision it. By JoAnne C. Holt, Divorce financial analyst. How much harder will it be for her to achieve them? Both stay-at-home moms and working moms face financial dependence. Yes it would cost money for him to do so, but those responsibilities could be outsourced. So I’ll try again. When I was growing up, the values that were instilled in me were very simple: work hard and then work harder. I was offered the position along with a slightly higher salary than my previous one. It’s not that I’ve ever dreamed of being wealthy—having enough to enjoy simple pleasures was always enough for me. Stay-at-home parents don’t need to invest the money, but they need to know that the money is invested. I’ve worked ever since I was 16, I paid my way through college and graduate school, I bought every car I’ve ever owned. I believe I work hard but at this point in my life, my income doesn’t reflect that. Of course, it does. I am financially dependent on my husband. The issue is not just about lacking income. I'm 26 and the person I am dependent on is my mother. Shopping sprees with my own money are so much more fun. It’s hard not to contribute financially and it sucks that as human beings we tie our value and worth to how much money we make. We are both 100% dependent on each other. “Her husband keeps all the financial … As a fellow stay-at-home parent I want you to know that I have felt the same way as you do. Yes, of course, it does. I was guaranteed a small pension worth roughly $1,200 per month. It comes when I know we can pay our bills and credit cards. Sit down, give the … Despite earning six-figures, I couldn’t pay for our bills by myself. We should teach young women about personal finance. Technically my husband could hire someone to watch our children and take care of our home, but I can’t hire someone to earn money for me. A reader sent me a long email in response to that post. My skills are certainly rustier than they once were, and my experience more outdated. It’s not fair for women to start behind the eight ball. Thank you for your comment. You immediately connect with an awesome coach on text or over the phone in minutes. I should point out that there is nothing wrong with mutual financial dependence. Let’s begin with these questions: Do you depend on your partner for financial support? I am writing a novel. Sometimes it feels that way, but then it’s important for me to remember that nothing good ever comes from being anti-man just because you’re pro-woman. Sure, I could have altered my lifestyle and supported myself quite happily, but I couldn’t afford to live the life I planned. These financial details provide critical details to my decision-making process. My skills at that time were up-to-date and in demand. My husband saved more than half of that amount. Ask to be connected with other women who were financially dependent, who rebuilt their lives. As a teenager, I was told to pursue my passions while my male classmates were told to increase their profits. After all, you can’t reach financial independence without saving and investing it. I’ll be honest. I know there are ways to move forward, but I am having a lot of trouble seeing them. The previous check was sizable, too, as it included the payout of unused vacation leave and other miscellaneous items. I gave up my job to move to a different state to be with him. Your email address will not be published. Even working spouses. It means learning to see yourself as worthy and valuable even if you don’t make a crazy amount of money. I spent many years focused on increasing my salary and saving. There are plenty of husbands who are financially dependent on their wives.) If your paycheck goes directly to your partner, or directly into their … Filed Under: Family Finances, Financial Frustrations. Some families make a collective decision that one parent will stay home with the kids, therefore if that was the decision they made together then all parties should respect that regardless of divorce. When men make more than 70 percent of the household income, they again become more likely to cheat. My husband is not the father of my two adult girls. 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