Separate bank accounts - worried about ROC

[lacolinab13 86]

Hello,

 

Coming up on a year of marriage to my immigrant husband. He got his green card in early March. Right after we got married, I added him to my bank account and credit cards, and we've been using the joint account and cards for all of our day to day financials.

 

For various reasons, this system is not working for me, is creating a lot of resentment and is straining our marriage. I would really like to have separate accounts and separate our finances. But I am worried about ROC down the road and shooting ourselves in the foot. 

 

Is it possible to have a strong joint ROC case without joint financials? Or would it be very detrimental for us to separate accounts? Any advice or experiences to share? 

 

Other relevant info: We filed taxes jointly for 2016 and would continue to do so. We are on a joint lease, joint health insurance and have a family cell plan. He is/would continue to be the beneficiary to my 401k and Roth IRA.

[Sukie 1,464]

There are many households where couples do not combine finances.  Keep your joint account open, but use it only for certain monthly expenses you have that don't change a lot - like rent, as a strong example.  Both of you contribute to it (even if the monies are unequal), so they can see the money going in and coming out.  Then use your separate accounts for all the other stuff.  When you submit your ROC package, just explain that you use the joint account for rent only, and have separate accounts for your other expenses.

 

You should also consider doing wills and medical powers of attorney.  There have been folks with "less strong" packages that are starting to get RFEs for things like this.  That will help your case.

 

Best of luck!

 

Sukie in NY

 

[NDB052714 122]

I wonder if a post nuptial agreement that specifies exactly how your finances are handled and that protects assets could be  useful at this point? 

 

Most couples these days maintain separate finances for a variety of reasons. It seems odd to me that we should need to worry about setting up joint accounts to prove something that can easily be proved in other ways. 

 

Thank you for posting this important topic! 

 

[Pedrro 0]

2 hours ago, NDB052714 said:

I wonder if a post nuptial agreement that specifies exactly how your finances are handled and that protects assets could be  useful at this point? 

 

Most couples these days maintain separate finances for a variety of reasons. It seems odd to me that we should need to worry about setting up joint accounts to prove something that can easily be proved in other ways. 

 

Thank you for posting this important topic! 

 

That's exactly what I feared before my wife added me to her account. She had two bank accounts, and added me only to one, so that we can both share finances, but at the same time, have our own individual account to manage. We use the joint account for groceries, laundry, food etc... as well as you back it up with other evidence, there shouldn't be a problem, but you don't wanna have no joint account whatsoever.

[lacolinab13 86]

10 hours ago, Sukie said:

There are many households where couples do not combine finances.  Keep your joint account open, but use it only for certain monthly expenses you have that don't change a lot - like rent, as a strong example.  Both of you contribute to it (even if the monies are unequal), so they can see the money going in and coming out.  Then use your separate accounts for all the other stuff.  When you submit your ROC package, just explain that you use the joint account for rent only, and have separate accounts for your other expenses.

 

You should also consider doing wills and medical powers of attorney.  There have been folks with "less strong" packages that are starting to get RFEs for things like this.  That will help your case.

 

Best of luck!

 

Sukie in NY

 

Thanks Sukie, NDB and Pedro. That's a good idea and makes me feel less nervous about separating out most of the rest of the finances.