A New Way to Cheat on Your Spouse: Lie About Money

One in three admit to fibbing about financial matters
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 13, 2011 7:26 PM CST
A New Way to Cheat on Your Spouse: Lie About Money
Dishonesty about money is a common problem for couples, says a new survey.   (Shutterstock)

Infidelity isn't always the stuff of illicit affairs. A new survey shows that 31% of Americans who combine their finances with a spouse have lied about money to said spouse. "Financial infidelity may be the new normal," writes Jenna Goudreau at her Forbes blog. The most common misdeeds were hiding cash (58%), hiding minor purchases (54%), and hiding a bill (30%). But a decent number admitted to hiding major purchases (16%), keeping a secret bank account (15%), and lying about debt or earnings (11%).

“Betrayal regarding money can be just as painful and damaging as other kinds of cheating," says a psychotherapist. It, too, can lead to "total loss of trust, feelings of betrayal and destruction of the relationship." For those feeling a little suspicious, Forbes has a list of 10 red flags (defensiveness, insistence on handling bills alone, etc.) to look for.
(More money stories.)

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