1. Not getting involved in managing the family’s finances.
It may not matter who writes the checks if you are making the financial decisions together. Make sure you know where your family’s money is, what investments each of you has and what the investments are worth.

2. Using your money for everyday expenses...
. . . while your partner’s money goes into his investments, which grow and grow. Women often end up spending all of their money getting food on the table and sneakers on the kids’ feet and have nothing left to put into savings.

3. Trying to pay for half of everything...
...when you really can’t afford it. If your partner makes more money than you, let him pay more. It is often a good idea to have your own savings and investment plans for yourself. It is a good way to get used to making investment decisions.

4. Not getting professional advice soon enough.
This is particularly true for women going through divorce, or another major change in their lives, such as marriage or widowhood. You may be liable for any debts your husband gets into while you are married. If your husband is hiding income or depleting money from jointly held accounts, you need to find out right away and get a lawyer to help you. In addition, you need to divide a pension at the time of the divorce - not when your husband retires.

5. Not realizing that you may end up living on your own someday.
Half of all marriages end in divorce. In addition, women often marry older men and have longer life expectancies. It is a good idea to be prepared to manage your own finances, even if it never happens. One way to protect yourself is to make sure your name appears on all of your family accounts and investments, either solely or as a joint owner. This establishes your legal right to at least part of these assets if your marriage ends or if your partner becomes ill or incapacitated.