Questions to Ask Your Fiance, Boyfriend, or Girlfriend Before You Get Married

There are so many wonderful things to look forward to when you’re engaged - a beautiful wedding, a luxurious honeymoon, and happily spending the rest of your life together in wedded bliss. But before all that, you and your partner need to have some very important conversations. Marriage isn’t always moonlight beaches and rose bouquets. There are lots of things you and your potential spouse need to talk about before the big day rolls around. The following questions will give you and your fiance a more honest picture of what to expect before you get married.

• Do you follow a budget? If you don't, are you willing to make and follow one?

• Do you have an emergency fund? If you do, how much is in it?

• Are you currently saving for retirement? Is it through an IRA or your own investment vehicle? How much a month are you saving?
• Do you plan on combining all of your income or are you going to simply split the bills? How important is it for you that your money is your money?

• How much money do you spend a month on your appearance? This includes hair, nails, makeup, and clothing.

• Do you believe in tithing and/or regular charitable giving? If so, what percentage of your income do you give?

• When are you planning to retire? What steps are you taking to meet that goal?
• Do you plan to get promoted or change jobs, or would you like to stick to your current profession?
• Would it bother you if your spouse made significantly more or less money than you?
• Would it bother you if your spouse had significantly more or less education than you?

• Would you move across the country if your job required you to? Would you be willing to be separated from your spouse in order to do that?

• Are you expected to take care of your aging parents? What kind of care are you going to provide?

• Do you want children? Are you going to adopt, foster, or have your own kids?

• If you do have children, are you going to pay for their college education?

• If you do have children, would you want them to attend public or private school? What about a religious school?

• How often will you be expected to attend regular family gatherings like Christmas, birthdays, reunions, or other celebrations?

• What is your religious affiliation? How important is that to you? Is it important that your spouse have similar views?
• If we had children, would you want your children to be raised with your religious viewpoints? Would you rather have them raised in a secular background even if you are religious?