Guide
Talking about money with a partner before retirement
Retirement conversations stall when one person holds the statements and the other holds the household calendar. Bring both to the table: expected State Pension dates, workplace pot values, and a rough monthly spend that includes council tax, energy and the trips you actually want to take.
Disagreement about spending is normal. What matters is naming it — for example, one person wants to keep the larger house, the other wants to free equity. A written plan can hold both preferences as options rather than forcing an immediate sale.
At South Quay we often ask couples to list three non-negotiables each before we model income. That shortlist keeps the meeting focused on trade-offs you care about instead of abstract averages.