He Said She Said

Who is the most financially knowledgeable person in your household? Married couples were asked this question in FINRA's 2015 National Financial Capability Study, and the results reveal disagreement over who is top dog—especially among Millennials.

The 53 percent majority of Millennial wives say they are the most financially knowledgeable person in their household. But so do 72 percent of Millennial husbands...

Percent of wives (and husbands) who say they are the most financially knowledgeable person
Millennials: 53% (72%)
Gen Xers: 48% (68%)
Boomers: 40% (65%)

Despite evidence of potential marital conflict, there is plenty of good news in the FINRA report. Financial confidence is rising among Millennial and Gen X women. The percentage of Millennial wives who regard themselves as the most financially knowledgeable person in their household was a lower 47 percent when FINRA first asked the question in 2009. Gen X wives, too, are feeling more confident. Only 42 percent regarded themselves as the most knowledgeable person in their household in 2009. Among Boomer wives, the level of confidence was the same in 2015 as in 2009.

Source: FINRA, Gender, Generation and Financial Knowledge: A Six Year Perspective