Financial management in stepfamilies

This study is an investigation of the financial management practices of 105 remarried couples who have at least one child from a previous marriage. The majority of the couples pool their financial resources and share equally in decisions made about their finances. Financial management practices tend to be different from those of prior marriages. Remarried women experience more changes than remarried men. In general, remarried people are satisfied with how they are handling their finances. The data from this study partially supports Fishman's hypothesis that remarried families who pool resources are closer. Marital relationships are not affected by the method of pooling, but adult-child relationships are closer when resources are pooled than when they are not.This study was funded by the University of Missouri Weldon Springs Research Fund.Marilyn Coleman is Professor and Chair of Human Development and Family Studies, 28 Stanley Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. She received her Ed.D. from the University of Missouri.Lawrence H. Ganong is Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies/Nursing, 313 School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. Dr. Ganong received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri. Both he and Dr. Coleman are currently doing research on stepfamily dynamics as well as sex roles.