One of the great checklists found in the book Financial Infidelity by Bonnie Eaker Weil is the "At Risk" times in every relationship. Wowsers, this is one to tear out and post by the computer.
When are the high risk times?
Work Life
- Job changes: being fired or leaving to start a new job
- Significant change in compensation due to promotion, especially for women
- Retirement
- Work-related traveling
- Change in household career dynamic (from two incomes to one or vice versa) such as the man deciding to stay home and become "Mr. Mom," while the woman becomes the major wage earner
- Increase in professional responsibilities; being a workaholic
Family Life
- Purchase of a new home/sale of an old one
- Downsizing of home
- Children attending nursery school, private school, or college
- Recent large purchase (boat, house, luxury car)
- Empty nest
- Birth of child
- Illness, medical expenses, or death of parent/child
- Fertility treatments
Personal Life
- Changes in relationship status
- Problems with alcohol or drugs
- Decade birthday
- Midlife crisis or "burnout"
- Significant change in investments (increase or decrease)
- Inheritance or disinheritance
- Desire for postnup, prenup, or no-nup
Are you currently in one of these very, very stressful places? Then extra time and care should be spent on your oh-so-important relationship. Remember an ounce of prevention...