Financial Transparency and Financial Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Gender in Marital Communication

Using dyadic recruitment, we examine gender differences in financial management, transparent communication, and financial well-being in married couples. We find that females exhibit greater variance in their financial transparency and anxiety. In addition, female distress is more predictable using financial and relationship factors. Conversely, male anxiety is harder to predict, even by his partner. A female's anxiety and relationship satisfaction partially depend on her financial position in the family. Females acting as primary breadwinners and financial decision-makers experience both greater anxiety and reduced relationship satisfaction. These results may help elucidate the complicated interrelationships between gender, financial planning, and emotional responses.