Core Insights - A significant increase in the percentage of married couples in the U.S. without joint bank accounts, rising from 15% in 1996 to 23% in 2023, is noted, with age at marriage being a major contributing factor [1][2]. Group 1: Trends in Joint Bank Accounts - The median age for first marriages has increased, with women marrying at 28.4 years and men at 30.2 years in 2023, compared to 24.8 and 27.1 years in 1996 [2]. - Among women who married between ages 30 and 34, only 29% held all bank accounts jointly, while 47% of those who married between 20 and 24 did [3]. - The likelihood of sharing bank accounts increases with the length of marriage; 79% of couples married for nine to 13 years had joint accounts, compared to 68% of couples married for four to eight years [4]. Group 2: Influence of Children - Couples with minor children at home are more likely to have joint accounts, with 75% of such couples sharing accounts compared to 64% of couples without children [4]. Group 3: Financial Infidelity and Trust - A survey indicates that 40% of Americans in committed relationships have kept financial secrets from their partners, with 45% believing that keeping money secrets is as detrimental as infidelity [5]. - Joint bank accounts can enhance trust between partners by providing transparency in financial matters, making it difficult to hide spending [6].