4 Ways To Rebuild Trust After Financial Infidelity

I hope you’ve been following the series of blogs on Financial Infidelity. If you or someone you know has experienced this in their marriage or intimate relationship, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the end of it. But, understand that it can take just as much time and effort to heal and regain trust as it would if it were sexual infidelity. So, take it seriously if you hope to save your marriage and you can begin the healing process with these 4 steps.

1. Full Transparency

As soon as the truth comes out, there MUST be a 100% agreement by both parties for absolute financial transparency. Each person sees all statements, has online access, and is free to ask any and all questions about any income or expenses in any account. If you are the perpetrator, be patient through this step and avoid being defensive when questioned. You broke the trust and now must earn it back. Prove you are open and willing. If you are the victim, give your partner a chance to prove that their intentions are honorable. A little understanding will go a long way.

2. Weekly Review Meetings

Agree on a time each week for the two of you to print all financial account statements and review them together. Talk about your financial goals and establish a working budget. Use this opportunity to get on the same page around your finances. If debt is an issue, you might even consider hiring a budget coach together or buying a book on money management for couples.

3. Division of Duties

Instead of one person handling everything, spit the financial duties. One of you handles the bill-paying while the other handles budget tracking, so both of you are involved in the process. Or if one person handles the spending and bill paying, then the other can handle the investing and saving. After a few months, swap so you both are capable and competent at both roles. This is not only valuable to build trust. This is great planning in the event that either one of you becomes incapacitated. You will have confidence that other person can step right in and not lose a beat.

4. Counseling

Probably the most important of the four is to get at least short-term counseling from a qualified couples therapist. Mistrust has no place in a marriage and reasons for the behavior MUST be delved into or I can almost guarantee you it will only happen again. Be ready to dig deep and get to the bottom of it.

Finding out you’ve been lied to or feeling the need to do so in your relationship is not a place you want to stay. Take the initiative today to begin to heal the damage and move forward in a more positive, healthy way. You’ll both be better off for it – both emotionally and financially. If you need help with any of these steps, contact us at Smarter Divorce Solutions. We have a great network of professional that can help at any of these points.