<prompt> Human: Im 26 F and my boyfriend is 30. Weve been dating for about 8 years, and living together for 4. Over the summer I was laid-off from my job, and we decided together that this was a good opportunity for me to go to grad school to become a CPA. My layoff came at exactly the time my boyfriend received a pay raise equal to my lost salary. Currently he pays for food and rent, and I cover tuition and all my personal expenses from savings and federal student loans. Before losing my job, I had been saving half my income for several years, along with aggressively paying off my student loans from undergrad. Finances are not tight. We are planning on getting married about a year and a half, after I finish school. This timing will not negatively impact my financial aid. I anticipate graduating with a combined 15-20k in student loans from undergrad and grad school. Well get married at the courthouse, with no reception. Im very careful and meticulous when it comes to money. I make 500 per month on average just through credit card churning manufactured spending, and have never paid cc interest. I also place a high priority on investing for retirement. On the other hand, after deciding how much money to set aside, I spend fun money on whatever I want without guilt. I anticipate that we will be earning similar salaries within a few years after I graduate. My boyfriend earns more than double what I did before losing my job. He has carried large credit card balances in the past, and wasnt bothered by the amount of interest he was paying. He has no savings or retirement accounts. On the upside, his financial behavior has drastically improved over the past year, and he no longer carries any debt. Neither of us want children. Weve lived together 4 years, so Im not worried about disputes over living arrangements. Do you think I should pay 100 of my student loans alone if we get married? What financial questions do we need to work out before getting married? Thank you for any input.  <response>: I recommend at least once a year a State of the Union where you both talk about your goals, reevaluate your plan for the next year.When youre both on the same page its easier. Especially if its a goal of save X by Y. Agree on a reward for when you reach a goal. For instance, I told my wife I would not buy a boat until my student loan was paid off and I had double what the boat cost in savings. My want of a boat made me save more and pay off faster. 