Regina A. DeMeo, an attorney who has been practicing law in the Bethesda, Maryland, area for the past 18 years, says she’s seen a sharp spike in “people wanting out because of financial differences or financial infidelity” since the recession of 2008.
“I find that people are much more aware of the instability created by staying in a marriage with someone that lacks financial responsibility, and there’s less tolerance of someone that isn’t doing his [or] her best to contribute and maintain financial security for the family unit,” DeMeo tells HealthyWay.

The money issues that send people into DeMeo’s office are always unique to the couple, but they tend to fall into two basic camps: The marriage where one person says the other is spending too much or the marriage where one spouse feels the other isn’t maximizing their earnings or savings. That can mean anything from someone who doesn’t save to the person who feels like their spouse should work harder or move up the ladder faster at their job.
“The fact is that marriage is more than just a partnership built on love,” DeMeo says. “You are presumably helping each other to build a life together, and in order to feel safe and secure in this endeavor, you need to be on the same page about spending prudently and saving. If you don’t respect your spouse’s choices and trust your partner with money, I don’t see how you can make it work in the long run.”