Passage 3
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
A joint bank account has,traditionally,been a sign of commitment.As newlyweds start their lives together,itis perhaps the clearest way for them to say to each other,“What's mine is yours,and what's yours is mine."
But these days,some young couples doubt it.In my recent research on money organization in romantic relationships,I found that Millennial(千禧一代)married and cohabitating(同居)couples are more likely to hold separate accounts than previous generations are.
Some of this has te do with Millennial marriage trends.Compared to previous generations,Millennials get married later in life,and thus more of them live together before marriage.Cohabitating couples are far more likely than married couples to keep finances separate.
When today's young adults do decide to get married,many of them are further along in their careers,with a better sense of who they are and what they contribute to their workplace.They believe that one's bank account offers a clear reflection of a person's success,and it can be hard to lose control.
When I asked several married Millennial couples in a survey why they decided to keep their finances fully or partially separate,one reason came up more than any other:A joint bank account seemed to make each individual's financial centributions unclear at a time when women are earning more than they used to."If we just had a joint account,it would bring an uneasy feeling-a sense of inequality.”said a 26-year-old office worker.Another Millennial I talked to worried that,if he and his wife merged bank accounts,their relationship might begin to conform te outdated gender roles,with the man in charge of all the finances.
Some worry that keeping money separate isn't good for Millennials'relationships.According to a 2006 study,couples who merge their finances are more likely to stay together than couples who don't.But some other scholars on families doubted about using the results of the study when thinking about today's young newlyweds.Indeed,the 20-and 30-somethings I spoke with all felt strongly that separate bank accounts don't signal a lack of trust-if anything,they said,it's a sign that partners trust each other more.They clearly understand that,if either of them needs money,they'll help each other out.“lr's about having trust that,if needed,I can cover her end,and she can cover my end too,saidone Millennial.
What do we know about Millennial married couples?