Staying in a relationship for money, not love, can have detrimental effects on your physical and emotional health. In fact, it can quite literally make you sick—something George Guillelmina, a certified financial planner, emphasizes. “Financially dependent relationships are relationships where one partner has an unstable or low income and insufficient savings,” Guillelmina explains. “This puts him or her in a fragile position, i.e., they are heavily dependent on the partner’s financial support. And this doesn’t only impact the person’s self-esteem; it can also lead to financial instability in cases of divorce, problems with health, or the death of [a] partner.” Financially dependent relationships are detrimental, through and through. The good news? You don’t have to stay in one. There are ways to gain financial independence and find your footing on your own. Getting clear on these amounts will allow you to create a realistic budget. That said, if the relationship you’re leaving is a marriage, you may want to wait on working until post-divorce settlement. “While many women I have counseled who are leaving financially dependent relationships want to return to work to ensure their financial stability, it may be best to wait until after the settlement as your income will be subtracted from your maintenance,” says Joyce Marter, LCPC, a psychotherapist and author of the upcoming The Financial Mindset Fix.
