For 60% of Americans, Poor Money Habits Are a Dealbreaker in a New Relationship. Excessive Gambling and Risk-Taking Are the Biggest Red Flags

For 60% of Americans, Poor Money Habits Are a Dealbreaker in a New Relationship. Excessive Gambling and Risk-Taking Are the Biggest Red Flags

Adrian Volenik

Sat, July 25, 2026 at 5:01 AM GMT+3 6 min read

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Sixty percent of Americans say poor money habits are "a dealbreaker" when starting a new relationship, while excessive gambling and taking big financial risks topped the list of red flags, according to Northwestern Mutual.

The findings come as sports betting, prediction markets and other high-risk investments continue to attract younger Americans. The firm's 2026 Planning & Progress Study published in March suggests that concerns about a partner's financial behavior extend far beyond simply earning a good income.

Don't Miss:

• 1.5M+ Users. $29M Raised. Shares Still at $0.79 — Learn How to Invest Before the Deadline

• More Than 500 Million People Live With Osteoarthritis. One Biotech Thinks The Body May Already Hold Part Of The Answer.

Gambling and Hidden Spending Raise the Biggest Concerns

Nearly half of Americans, 49%, said excessive gambling and risk-taking are the biggest financial warning signs in a relationship. Close behind were hiding or lying about purchases at 47% and carrying high credit card debt at 41%. Frequent impulse spending and expecting a partner to pay for everything also ranked among the biggest concerns.

The study found that younger adults are increasingly drawn to sports betting, prediction markets and cryptocurrencies. About 32% of Gen Z respondents said they are already participating in or considering sports betting or prediction markets, while another 32% said they are invested in or considering cryptocurrencies. For all U.S. adults, the interest in these speculative pursuits is 17% and 24%, respectively.

Among people already investing in or considering these higher-risk assets, 73% said they're doing so because they feel financially behind and believe these investments offer a faster way to reach their financial goals than more traditional methods. That figure climbs to 80% among Gen Z.

Trending: This Energy Company Says It Can Turn Coal Into Hydrogen, Diesel And Other Products—Without Burning It.

"When people feel behind, they often look for shortcuts," Northwestern Mutual Chief Field Officer John Roberts said in a statement. "But building financial security is rarely about cutting corners. It's about consistency, discipline, and protection."

He added that high-risk investments can be enjoyable for people who can afford the losses but recommended treating them as "fun money" and focusing most financial planning on long-term strategies that help build and protect wealth.

Financial Compatibility Matters More Than Chemistry

The research also found that money plays a major role in long-term relationships. Among married or cohabiting couples, 72% said financial compatibility is more important than emotional compatibility for maintaining a healthy relationship. Similar shares also ranked financial compatibility above shared interests, physical attraction and intellectual compatibility.

Money arguments are especially common among younger couples. About 41% of Gen Z couples said financial disagreements are putting serious strain on their relationships, compared with just 12% of boomers.

See Also: AI Robots Have Already Fried More Than 5 Million Baskets Of Food. Everyday Investors Can Still Buy Into The Company Behind Them.

The study also found that while nearly three-quarters of Americans believe couples should discuss finances before getting married or moving in together, almost one in five admitted they waited until after taking those major relationship steps to have an honest conversation about money and long-term financial goals.

Millions of Americans can't afford a $1,000 emergency bill, leaving them vulnerable to unexpected expenses.Mode Mobile created a $99 EarnPhone, a smartphone that lets users earn rewards while doing things they already do every day, such as reading the news, playing games and listening to music.

Instead of getting a side hustle themselves, smart investors invest in companies offering tools for everyday Americans looking for additional income. Invest in Mode Mobile today with $1,000 at just $0.52 a share.

Read Next: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100.

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors canbuy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Realberry

Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access.Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors,FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio.Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte's fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.

EquityMultiple

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

Image: Shutterstock

This article For 60% of Americans, Poor Money Habits Are a Dealbreaker in a New Relationship. Excessive Gambling and Risk-Taking Are the Biggest Red Flags originally appeared on Benzinga.com

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.