How much do you discuss management of your investments with your OH?

aroominyork

If you take the lead on managing your and your OH’s investments, how much do you discuss them with your OH?

When I starting DIYing a couple of years ago I prepared spreadsheets, cast them onto the TV and presented them to my wife. She said I seemed to have researched well and, after one or two sensible tweaks, agreed with my proposed portfolio. During the next couple of months and as I learned more, largely from this forum, I thought some changes were needed and I discussed these with her, though in less detail as time went on. Then I gradually stopped discussing changes.

From Day 1 she has thought the markets were due a downturn and these days she really thinks so, so the limit of our discussions is generally when I periodically (and truthfully) say that I am changing something to reduce our risk. I guess I am only saying this to store up some protection for and if things go pear-shaped. Also, once a month I update progress on a spreadsheet and compare it to the indices. At the end of August I told her “we had a good month – the markets went down 6.6% but our investments only went down 4.6%”. That might have been a mistake...

So how much do you discuss with your OHs (marriage status and gender assumptions made here) – Lintona, bowlheadicea, The Prismata, Alexaland et al – your investment strategies and tactics?

newatc

My OH is not interested, I try to talk to her but she is just not interested. Maybe once a year, I will manage to take her through a summary of our finances though she forgets pretty quickly. I fund and decide on investments for her SIPP and ISA together manage her cash savings.
She uses a credit card (in her name) for all her spends and just relies on me to ensure the balance is paid off each month.
Earlier this year when I was not well (to put it mildly), interestingly she took a little more interest but now that is hopefully behind me, she is back to normal. During this time I managed to get her to use an ATM for the first time in her life!
Because of her outlook, I'm gradually moving our investments to multi-asset global funds (mostly trackers but some managed) so that when I depart this mortal coil then leaving them alone for a time should not be too much of a problem.
I do find her confidence in me handling the finances touching (she has never once asked about her income after I've gone) and just hope that with the help of the children and my notes, she will cope when she has to get involved.

Alexland

'Alexaland' is honestly not that interested but understands the basics that markets go up and down and over the long term it should be ok if you are low cost, diversified, contribute enough and stick to mainstream investment options. She knows that I am not likely to do anything stupid with our personal finances that would cause us permanent capital loss.

She also knows this topic interests me and has even suggested that I do the CII exams to become an advisor. However I have already built a good career in another industry for which I seem well suited and appreciated although in truth from experience I now find the work easy and it doesn't interest me anymore.

I provide an update on how we are doing 'at month end' and give her the front page of my spreadsheet showing all our account valuations so she has all the information she might need if something happened to me. A couple of times she has said she doesn't know anyone our age who is likely to be in such a good financial position which might be approval.

Alex

jamei305

- "Oh! How are your shares doing? How much money did you make?"

- "They're fine, I'm not sure how much it's complicated, they go up and down, I'll have to get my spreadsheet out"

- "You must have a rough idea, £10,000? £20,000?"

-"More than that in total I guess"

- "Oh that's great, better than a stupid savings account"

Detailed explanations have been tried before but some people just don't seem to have a head for it (and my partner does multivariate statistical analysis as part of their day job!)

bearshare

Occasionally (like when someone OH knows dies) I get asked "how do I get access to the details of all the accounts on the pc again?"

Raggie

Mrs R, has no interest at all, the joint current account always has a balance to cover the outgoings for several months, she balances this and her sole account every day.

For long term investments we have the "death book". A hard copy book in the house which I keep updated on where the money is, who to contact, etc.

When I do anything new I just ensure the "death book" is updated.

HHarry

My Wife has no interest - she worries about the risks of the stock market, and would rather have it in pound coins under the bed!

I have a 'Dead' folder on the computer with a spreadsheet called 'Where's the money'

OldMusicGuy

My wife has some ISAs which she prefers to keep as cash ISAs. Apart from that, she has no investments apart from our house and she has a very big say in what we do with that.

The bulk of our investments are my DC pension pot. I keep her informed of what I'm doing but that is totally under my control (she likes it that way). We also discuss our long term financial planning, goals and objectives. That discussion includes how all the investments (cash, savings, house, pension pot) will fund our retirement and pay for care if needed.

We are playing to our skills. She is financially aware but not that interested in the nitty gritty of financial planning and investing. I on the other hand am an economist and a finance and spreadsheet nerd, so it suits me to spend a lot of time focused on all of this.

Kentish_Dave

We each manage our own investments, but we do occasionally discuss what we’re doing with them.

We’re both financial professionals, and happy to do our own thing.

Sea_Shell

It's a very regularly discussed topic in our house!!

We then have monthly "strategy" meetings and so we're both fully up to speed and on the same page financially.

We talk spends, budgets, savings, pensions and investments...I have many spreadsheets!!

OH is happy for me to manage the "beans" day to day.

cloud_dog

My OH doesn't have an interest, other than future prospects for a campervan purchase etc. We have unfortunately come into an inheritance recently and discussions on what they should try to do with the money are delicate; rawness of the situation and risk attitude, i.e. "Why can't it just go in a savings account?".

All our accounts are held in MS Money, login details for accounts held securely on spreadsheet, and there is a "What You Need to Know, What You Need Do" Word document. This lists absolutely everything (investments, savings, utilities....down to when car tax and MOTs are due). Annually I give a hard copy to my brother in one of those security sealed envelopes.