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According to a recent survey on money and relationships, 36% of people are keeping
a bank account from their partner. While this financial unfaithfulness may appear as
distrust in a relationship, in truth it may just be a form of financial protection. With
almost half of all marriages ending in divorce, men and women are realizing they need to
be financially savvy, regardless of whether they are in a relationship.
The financial hardship on individuals after a divorce can be extremely difficult,
even more so when children are involved. The lack of permanency in relationships, job and
family life may be the cause of a growing trend to keep a secret bank account hidden from
a partner, in other words, an "escape fund".
Margaret's story is far from unique. She is a representative of a growing number of
women in long-term relationships who are becoming protective of their own earnings. Every
month on pay day, she banks hundreds of dollars into a savings account she keeps from her
husband. She has been doing this throughout their six-year marriage and has built a nest
egg worth an incredible $100,000. Margaret says if her husband found about her secret
savings he'd be hurt and would take this as a sign that she wasn't sure of the marriage.
"He'd think it was my escape fund so that financially I could afford to get out of the
relationship if it went wrong. I know you should approach marriage as being forever and
I hope ours is, but you can never be sure." Like many of her fellow secret savers,
Margaret was hurt in a former relationship and has since been very guarded about her own
money.
Coming clean to your partner about being a secret saver may not be all that bad. Taken
Colleen for example, who had been saving secretly for a few years before she confessed to
her partner. "I decided to open a savings account and start building a nest egg of my own.
I wanted to prove to myself that I could put money in the bank and leave it there for a
rainy day."
1. The trend to keep a secret bank account is growing because _____. [ ]
A. "escape fund" helps one through rainy days
B. days are getting harder and harder
C. women are money sensitive
D. financial conflicts often occur
2. The word "savvy" (Line4, Para1) probably means _____. [ ]
A. suspicious
B. secure
C. wise
D. simple
3. Which inference can we make about Margaret? [ ]
A. She is a unique woman.
B. She was once divorced.
C. She is going to retire.
D. She has many children.
4. The author mentions Colleen's example to show _____. [ ]
A. any couple can avoid marriage conflicts
B. privacy within marriage should be respected
C. everyone can save a fortune with a happy marriage
D. financial disclosure is not necessarily bad
5. Which of the following is the best summary of this passage? [ ]
A. Secret Savers
B. Love Is What It's Worth
C. Banking Honesty
D. Once Bitten, Twice Shy 65.
