Finances for two, made easy

People are funny about money. You can easily coax someone into spilling the juiciest details of an intimate encounter, but prod them about their finances and you enter no man's land. Even now, months before your marriage, the subject of money is tough one to broach with your husband-to-be.

But finances are one of the main sources of disputes between couples, so the sooner you both start sharing frankly with each other, the better. Follow these tips to take control of your financial future, together:

Assess your current financial situations thoroughly. Put everything on the table for each other, including credit scores, debts, assets and liabilities. If either of you happen to have significant debt, know that you're going to have to take care of it together. Remember, you two are a team now!

Talk about what makes each of you feel financially secure. Some people are natural risk takers, feeling comfortable to tie up most of their funds in investments and keep limited cash on hand. Others need a larger amount of liquidity to feel safe, and may even be risk-averse.

Analyze your spending habits. Who's the spender and who's the saver? Or do you both fall in the same category? Talk about your spending habits, and whether you think either or both of you may have to make any changes as you enter your new financial life as a couple. If you're both spenders, then the two of you may have to help curb one another. If one of you is a spender and the other a saver, you may need to meet each other in the middle.

Share your money know-how with your partner. Is one of you naturally more informed about all things financial, perhaps due to a job on Wall Street or a finance background? The person in the know should share, and the other person should be sure to ask lots of questions. Decisions about money matters may not always be easy, so it's important that you make every effort to make them together, or it may put additional stress on your relationship.

Having discussed the financial matters above, decide whether or not to merge your finances into one banking account. There's no wrong or right choice on this, as long as you're both being open and are comfortable. So, even if you're keeping separate accounts, it's wise to share your records with your spouse. If you keep separate savings accounts, you may want to keep a joint-checking account that you both contribute to for paying joint bills -- and to deposit your wedding gifts!

Figure out how you're going to pay the bills and set a budget. Set up a system for who's going to collect the bills as they come in, how you'll discuss them together and who's going to send in the checks. The use a programs like Quicken, or even an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of how much money is coming in and how much is going out to cover monthly expenses and credit card bills. The better your records, the more easily you'll be able to make decisions about further spending and saving.

Discuss long term goals. Do you both dream of owning your own home someday? And putting kids through college? Does one of you want to go back to school in a few years? Talk about any major expenses you possibly foresee because you're going to have to plan for them together.

Last but definitely not least -- look into any benefits you're eligible for as a married couple. Health and car insurance plans usually give an advantage to married couples, and you may find it's less expensive to file your taxes as a joint couple, too. Some cell phone carriers even offer family sharing plans that are often less expensive than two single plans. Do your homework here -- to make sure you're getting the best possible deal and the one that best suits your needs as a couple.