‘One advantage of marriage is the financial benefits.’ But many married couples are leaving money on the table

The CRR’s recently published study in the American Economic Review poses the question: “do married couples efficiently allocate their retirement contributions across their retirement accounts?” And the research brief hints that many do not.

According to the study, one in five couples fail to take full advantage of matching incentives from their 401(k)s or similar employer-sponsored retirement plans, leaving an average of $757 per year on the table.

That being said, many couples aren’t missing out on this cash on purpose. According to the CRR, some couples that aren’t coordinating their retirement plans “have never considered that coordination could help them.”

Also, since retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(k) plans belong to individuals, it’s a possibility that they never thought they had to talk about it like they would a joint savings account. This sheds light on an overarching issue amongst many couples: They don’t talk about money.

Fidelity’s 2026 Couples and Money Study found that just 29% of couples regularly talk about day-to-day finances. If you’re not talking about finances, there’s a strong possibility that you’ll miss out on financial opportunities that could benefit you both, like coordinating your retirement funds.

When couples don’t coordinate finances on purpose

While the study makes it evident that many married couples aren’t coordinating their retirement plans due to lack of financial literacy and general inertia, there are still some that are purposefully avoiding it.

According to the CRR, 45% of survey respondents said that their non-coordination was deliberate. The study found that couples with joint bank accounts before marriage, a mortgage or kids are less likely to forgo an employer matching opportunity, but couples who divorce are more likely to have forgone a match before the divorce. This may indicate instability in the marriage that diverted the couple from wanting to combine finances any further.

The study also found that over a third of respondents believed they would keep their own retirement accounts in a divorce, clearly indicating a lack of understanding about divorce law, as that wealth would be considered a marital asset.

In a misguided attempt to protect their own financial future, couples are losing money that could benefit them, especially if their marriage stands the test of time.

How couples can start taking advantage of their retirement plans

Employer matches are a great retirement-saving incentive as they offer workers an immediate return on their contribution.

A recent study from Gallup found that “about six in 10 Americans report that they have money invested in a retirement savings plan such as a 401(k), 403(b) or individual retirement account (IRA), either alone or jointly with a spouse.”

But when it comes to you and your spouse’s individual employer-sponsored retirement accounts — especially those that offer a match — a bit of coordination can help you make the most of your savings seeing as match schedules differ depending on your employer.

The CRR recommends that couples “max out the more generous dollar-for-dollar match before contributing to the less generous account.”