Mar 4, 2025
Just a few months into her marriage, Veronica from Texas is “freaking out” after discovering her husband, who she thought was worth nearly $1 million, lied about his finances and is actually drowning in over $150,000 of debt with no significant assets to his name.
“Where do I go from here?” she asked in a letter to “The Ramsey Show” in a clip posted Nov. 18.
Advertisement
“I would go straight to counseling,” replied co-host George Kamel. “I don’t know anywhere else to go when your relationship was built on a throne of lies.”
However, fellow co-host Ken Coleman wanted her to consider the “nuclear option” instead.
“I would go straight to the judge and I would get the marriage annulled,” he said bluntly.
Now, while lying to a spouse about being a millionaire may be an extreme case, it seems financial infidelity is actually quite common in America.
Financial deception
The results of a Bankrate’s 2025 financial infidelity survey reveal 40% of adults in the U.S. who are married or living with a partner say they’ve kept a financial secret from their significant other. Secrets include spending more than their partner would approve of (33%) and holding undisclosed debt (23%).
Among those with a spouse or live-in partner, 38% felt keeping financial secrets in a relationship is as bad as cheating, while 7% said it’s worse.
“Money secrets can undermine a relationship,” Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman said. “It’s hard enough to meet your financial goals when you’re pulling in the same direction. It’s almost impossible if you’re pulling in opposite directions.”
Advertisement
Marriage counseling is an option for couples to resolve differences and change behaviors. It can be a forum to open up communication between partners and get them on the same page.
But the level of deception involved in Veronica’s relationship may be too high to overcome, according to Coleman.
Must Read
- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and the simple steps to fix it ASAP
- Robert Kiyosaki begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’ — says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year
- Vanguard reveals what could be coming for U.S. stocks, and it’s raising alarm bells for retirees. Here’s why and how to protect yourself
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
Nuclear option
Coleman believes Veronica’s recent marriage is a “farce” and her best course of action is to end it and move on with her life.
“I don’t know if there’s hope for this marriage,” Kamel admitted. “I don’t think you can rebuild from that level of dishonesty.”
Trust is the bedrock of any relationship and people who face financial infidelity may be wise to consider if maintaining it will expose them to more debt and deception in the future.
If you’re unsure about whether your partner is being financially dishonest, you may want to keep an eye out for red flags such as missing cash from accounts, unexpected financial statements, emotional reactions from your partner when talking about money and the sudden loss of possessions, according to Marriage.com.
You May Also Like
- Turning 50 with $0 saved for retirement? Most people don’t realize they’re actually just entering their prime earning decade. Here are 6 ways to catch up fast
- This 20-year-old lotto winner refused $1M in cash and chose $1,000/week for life. Now she’s getting slammed for it. Which option would you pick?
- Warren Buffett used these 8 repeatable money rules to turn $9,800 into a $150B fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)
- Here are 5 easy ways to own multiple properties like Bezos and Beyoncé. You can start with $10 (and no, you don’t have to manage a single thing)
Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
Managing Money • Mar 30
