Sheryl Garrett Couple Quotations

With time on our side a couple of months in advance of the holidays we have the opportunity to step back and ask, 'What's a reasonable amount of money I can spend on holiday festivities, gifts and donations?'

Newlyweds make decisions that affect each other. Young couples need to think about the unthinkable. If you have assets that you want your spouse to keep if you die, you need insurance.

There are significant tax benefits to being married. In most cases, a married couple will pay less tax if they file jointly. The marriage penalty has been substantially reduced and generally isn't an issue until the combined income is $250,000.

Many young couples are so busy being romantic that they forget to talk about anything practical like personal finance. Money isn't a romantic subject, but marriage should be seen as entering into a financial as well as a romantic partnership.

Secrecy can be a killer. Many couples get married in their late 20s or even early 30s and are used to being independent. Having separate accounts allows the couple to maintain some financial independence while being completely open about it.

There are about 1,100 laws that apply only to married couples that more than make up for the marriage penalty.