Finances are one topic that people in relationships find hard to talk about. According to a 2025 poll conducted by the money app Wise, 32% of Americans feel uncomfortable discussing finances with their significant other. But those conversations are usually a must; otherwise, the relationships often go sideways.
This woman discovered that her boyfriend expects her to share half of her income from her rental property. She felt it wasn’t fair, since it’s hers and they would live together in a house he had already paid off. So, she asked the internet for unbiased opinions. Was she wrong to think his demand to cover half the bills and share her rental income was unreasonable?
A man asked his girlfriend to move in, but demanded that she share her rental income and cover half the bills
Image credits: Gary Barnes / Pexels (not the actual photo)
She felt this was unfair since the property was hers and not his
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Fun_Sky_9278
Image credits: kaboompics / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Many people think that it’s okay to charge your partner rent and would do so themselves
There is no unspoken rule that says couples need to share finances. When a couple moves in together, that doesn’t automatically mean they now have to have a shared bank account. In fact, many couples keep their finances separate, and some even do that when they get married.
How then do couples navigate home ownership or rent matters while keeping their finances apart? To some, it might seem absurd or even offensive to ask their partner to pay rent while they live in their house. After all, isn’t love about giving and sharing everything with another person?
On the contrary – a lot of us are more practical in this day and age. According to a survey by TurboTenant, 51% of Americans would charge their significant other rent to move into a property that they own. A lot of partners wouldn’t mind, either: 34% of the respondents said they would want a separate rental agreement when moving in with a partner.
At the same time, many couples do not split expenses equally. A 2023 poll by the Thriving Center of Psychology revealed that almost 37% of unmarried couples see their relationship as financially unequal. However, that doesn’t mean that couples see their relationships as financially unfair.
What’s fair and what’s unfair depends on each couple. Some partners don’t mind carrying more of the financial burden, paying for rent, mortgage, bills, the car, and so on. Others, however, demand equal financial input from their partner. They don’t want either of them to pay more than 50% for anything, and they have the right to that opinion.
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Equal doesn’t always mean fair; that’s why partners should carry the financial burden they’re capable of covering
There are different ways couples decide to split finances. Some try to do 50/50, but financial experts say that it mostly only works when both partners earn the same amount. Instead, they recommend dividing financial responsibilities according to a partner’s income and changing it every few years as incomes change.
Cathy Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning in Oakland, California, told CNBC that it’s best when a partner is responsible for their share of the household income. So, if their salary is a third of the entire household income, they should be responsible for a third of the bills, rent, and other expenses.
That way, the partner with a lower income can put aside money from things like retirement. “I think it’s totally fair [and] I think it makes for greater equity, less resentment, and also creates more communication around money,” Curtis explained.
Financial expert and author of the bestselling book, Rich AF: The Winning Money Mindset that Will Change Your Life, Vivian Tu agrees. “When one partner earns a lot more but insists on going 50/50, the person earning less is often forced to live beyond their means or sacrifice their financial independence,” she told Newsweek. “Over time, that breeds financial resentment.”
“I am more keen to move in together, and he doesn’t seem as keen as me,” the woman mentioned in the comments
Most commenters sided with the woman, urging her to put off moving in
Others thought the BF’s offer was fair: “Why wouldn’t you have to pay for your accommodation?”
But some saw both partners as unreasonable: “Bad communication”
