<prompt> Human: Im going to start this off with saying that I am looking for financially-based answers, not just personal feelings or beliefs. My husband 28 and I 24 have been married for a year. Recently it became known to my family that we still have completely separate finances and my parents expressed concern about this. I want to know if it would make more financial sense to merge finances or keep them separate. Some details: he works on a government grant that pays 4500month, plus our healthvisiondental insurance and his transportation tofrom work are paid for by the program i.e. they are not coming out of his paycheck. He has no debt, but does have a Costco credit card that he uses for most purchases and pays off the minute each purchase is posted. Because of the nature of his position he has to pay estimated taxes each quarter rather than having them deducted from each paycheck, and apparently this means we must file taxes as married filing separately. I just switched from one job to two substitute teacher and tutor with a tutoring company and starting in September my new net income will be about 2800month net up from 1800 before. I have quite a bit of debt from college because of recession cuts to scholarships even a state school left a pretty hefty debt and I pay 900month on loans, in addition to paying down a 1500 CC debt I built up keeping myself afloat while job hunting after we moved for his job last year I had been paying 150month, but with my increased income I plan to up that to at least 300month; I wanted to transfer it to a 0 card to pay it down, but unfortunately I keep getting told I dont have enough credit history and I have too much in loans. Now, when I say we have kept things separate, I mean everything. We do not have any joint bank accounts at all. He pays the rent and utilities 1800month completely out of his check because he knows my debt payments have been a big chunk of my income, plus he pays the car insurance more on this in a second. We do split the phone bill paid through his account, I give him my portion, and I cover all the pet expenses and household supplies toilet paper, cleaners, etc since I do all the cleaning. Since we only have his car here 10, paid in cash, 50k miles, 30MPG and I cant take public transit to my jobs I pay for all the gas and routine maintenance plus pay him a rent of 125month for use of the car to help cover insurance yes, I am an authorized driver and long-term maintenance tires, etc. We both pay for our own food entirely, even on the very rare occasions when we go out to eat; this is because he eats a very strict diet so we cant share any food anyway. Clothes, toiletries, entertainment, travel since we live so far from our families we have to fly to visit, but thats all the travel we do, giftsfamily obligations, everything else is completely separate. As it is, he always has disposable income and spends it on things he wants video games and cookware, mostly. Since I had some health stuff and family stuff and my income has been smaller, I havent had much disposable income, and what I do have I do my best to save into an emergency fund, as I seem to keep having to drain that money unavailable things like missing work due to chronic illnesstreatment or having to fly home for things for my side of the family. I stick to my budget, shop at low-cost stores, and thrift shop whenever possible; I am always scrimping and saving and just making things work, and there have been weeks where school holidays and loan payments hitting at the same time mean things for me are so tight that I stretch out the ramen packets to make two meals unbeknownst to him, but this should be relieved, at least a bit, by my new income and saving plan. This honestly doesnt bother me: the way I see it, he has more education in a more respected field, he cheerfully pays for our rent and utilities, he deserves to be able to spend his money how he likes. I grew up in a lower-income house on a tight budget, so I am used to budgeting and bargain hunting. He grew up very comfortably middle-class and is used to living how he currently lives as well he doesnt keep a budget, but does always have a sense of how much money he has and where it is going and usually makes sure he has a bit left over at the end of each month to save. However, I have been wondering if this arrangement makes financial sense, especially in regards to our longer-term plans. We would like to buy a home within 10 years, and with my new income I plan to set aside some money each month toward that. We will likely have to move across the country again in 2-4 years, and there I will have to spend 500 to be certified for work in addition to the moving expenses. Due to a health condition, it is likely that I will need to have a major surgery within the next 3 years the surgery itself and follow-up therapy would be fully covered under our current, amazing health plan, but the 6-8 weeks off of work wouldnt be, and I am considered a temporary employee as a substitute teacher, so I dont get any paid leave. We also would like to take an international trip Europe or Japan, still debating within the next 5 years, though that is obviously much more of a want than a need; its kind of our moonshot. Considering these things on our horizon and everything else, does it make financial sense to continue to keep our finances separate, or would combining them partially or fully help us reach our goalsmeet our expected expenses? Any adviceinsight would be most welcome.  <response>: First, paragraphs are a thing.Second, your parents need to mind their own business.Third, if how youre handling your finances now works for you, keep doing it that way. If you think having a joint account for joint savings will work better going forward, do that. There is no right or wrong answer.Personally Im a fan of yours, mine, and ours where everything but a set amount of personal spending money goes into the joint pot that is used to pay all bills and joint savings. But really, do what works for you guys and tell your family it is none of their business. 