New Quiz May Save You From Divorce

June 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Financial incompatibility is one of the leading causes of divorce in the United States. According to a study conducted by North Carolina University, 39% of couples said money was the primary cause of most arguments while 54% cited it as a secondary cause. Now, couples can test their financial compatibility and reduce future "cash clashes" with a new 23-question quiz developed by financial specialist Jeff Motske, founder and CEO of Trilogy Financial Services. According to Motske, taking the test will help both parties learn how each feels about a wide range of financial issues from credit card debt and saving for a new home to making purchases and retirement planning.

"One of the most overlooked yet important aspects of a relationship is how the two of you perceive and deal with money,” said Motske, whose company recently hit the $2 billion in client-invested assets milestone.  "I and other financial planners know all too well how conflict in this area can unravel an otherwise healthy relationship.  We hope that the quiz helps couples determine whether they see eye to eye on the most important issues and come to terms on others."

Among the questions:

1) SHOPPING -- Shopping is an activity I view as
a) An extremely important part of my life that I don't plan to give up
b) An occasional indulgence that must be constrained by budget
c) Something to do on an as-needed basis

2) CHECKING -- When we get married, we will have:
a) Separate checking/savings accounts
b) Joint checking account but separate retirement/emergency funds
c) I don’t want my spouse to know anything about my assets/spending

3) HOUSING -- I would prefer to:
a) Rent an apartment in an affordable area so that we have money for other things; homeownership is not a priority
b) Devote a significant part of our salary renting an apartment in my favorite part of town with hopes of one day affording our dream house
c) Buy a house in a less-than ideal location and begin building equity with hopes of moving up every couple of years and eventually moving into my dream house
d) Consider moving to a less expensive part of the country to find an affordable house though it could mean moving away from friends/family


4) CREDIT CARDS -- My philosophy is to:
a) Use them, but always pay off the full balance each month
b) Use them to buy things I want then just pay the minimum balance each month
c) Never use them


5) WHO’S IN CHARGE? -- When it comes to dividing financial responsibilities, I prefer to:
a) Be the person in charge of managing finances (e.g., balancing the checkbook, paying the bills, investing, etc.)
b) Let my spouse handle the family finances
c) Think we should both be involved in managing our finances
d) Pay a bookkeeper to handle our money so that we eliminate conflicts

The quiz is free and is available at www.trilogyfs.com.  
Since 1999, Trilogy Financial Services has helped clients achieve their retirement goals by offering financial, estate and tax planning specialty under one roof. Even if clients retain outside legal and CPA counsel, Trilogy still invites its team of specialists to review their work to ensure that clients’ best interests are being maintained.  With more than $2 billion in assets, the Huntington Beach headquartered company maintains 11 offices in 4 states with 200 top-tier employees (not independent contractors) dedicated to helping clients achieve financial independence. For more information visit www.trilogyfs.com.

Securities and advisory services offered through National Planning Corporation. (NPC) Member FINRA, SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.  Trilogy Financial Services and NPC are separate and unrelated entities.