According to a new Country Financial survey, only half (51 percent) of couples addressed how they would manage their collective finances before marriage. Despite this, 86 percent of all married Americans reported being honest with their spouses about their financial state during their engagement.

Marriage timing affects financial transition and money management style. Couples married prior to the recession are more united in their financial matters and find joint money management less challenging than those married during or after the recession.

Seventy-three percent of couples married before December 2007 have completely joint finances compared with just 56 percent of those married after.

Those married prior to the recession found it significantly less difficult to transition to handling finances together than those married during or after (24 percent versus 38 percent).

Despite having a more challenging transition, 66 percent of couples married during or after the recession discussed how they would manage their money before marriage. That is 17 percent higher than those married before the economic downturn.

Special Reports /

IQ: Survey: Only Half of Couples Discuss Finances Prior to Marriage

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