Joined lives, separate finances: more couples keep money apart

It’s not news that a lot of couples squabble about money. But what might come as a surprise is the fact that more and more couples are trying to avoid those money fights by keeping their finances separate. In a 2009 survey by PayPal, 57 percent of couples said they kept all or some of their money apart, up from 48 percent in 2008.

For this week’s family segment, we look at this growing trend with the help of an expert and a real couple. Neil Parmar is a staff writer for SmartMoney: The Wall Street Journal Magazine and author of “Living Together, Investing Apart.”

Avril Nunez and Colin Miller are a cohabitating (and soon-to-be-married) couple, who keep the majority of their take-home pay in separate accounts, and plan to do so for the rest of their lives.