This paper investigates money matters in remarried couples. The number
of such couples is on the increase, and their financial affairs are l
ikely to be more complex and conflictual than for first-married couple
s, but there has been little research attention paid to this group in
Britain. The present study explores patterns of control and management
of money by means of data from semi-structured interviews with 20 cou
ples in which one partner or both had been married before. The men and
women were interviewed separately, but in the majority of cases, simu
ltaneously, in separate rooms. This yielded data from 38 interviews si
nce two men declined to take part in the study. Ages of respondents ra
nged from 28 to 83, with the majority in the 30-55 range, At the time
of the study, only half still had dependent children, and not all of t
he latter were co-resident. A key finding of the study is a degree of
separateness in financial arrangements that is in sharp contrast to ea
rlier findings. As many as half of the couples were using an Independe
nt Management system, compared with less than 2 per cent of couples in
general. For those with children from previous relationships, this se
parateness was especially marked in the way they wished their assets t
o be treated after their death. However, in line with earlier studies,
the balance of economic power in second and subsequent marriages stil
l appeared to favour the men, who generally had larger incomes and own
ed more assets in their own names.