Couples With Joint Bank Accounts Last Longer

The decision of whether or not to combine finances with your lover has been known to make or break a relationship.

But those who do may build better relationships, according to a new study appearing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

The study found that couples who willingly pooled their money demonstrated more positive interactions and evidence of clear communication than those who didn’t.

Related: Six Super Hard "Would you Rather" Questions About Money!..

Their word choices alone were enough to indicate a high level of mutual satisfaction, using more “we,” “us” and “our,” as opposed to “I,” “me” and “my.” Terms associated with joint affiliation also came up more often, such as “agree,” “connect,” “friend,” “kindness,” “listen” and “peace.”

Research in this area can help couples decide how to organize their finances to maximize relationship quality and ultimately improve their well-being.