Everyone who has gone through an awkward phase has heard the old refrain, “It’s what on the inside that counts.” Sage advice, but it might need a cynical addendum: “It’s what’s in the inside of your wallet that counts.”
That’s if you ask more than a third of Americans, who say they value financial compatibility more than physical or intellectual compatibility, per Northwestern Mutual's latest wave of its 2023 Planning & Progress Study, which surveyed more than 2,700 people. Aligning on money is all the more pressing for younger generations, who are earlier on in their relationships and careers—nearly half (49%) of Gen Zers view financial compatibility as more important than physical compatibility. That’s compared to 40% of millennials, 35% of Gen Xers, and 30% of baby boomers.
