The Wall Street Journal recently reported that couples who combine their finances have greater relationship satisfaction than those who don’t.

It seems joining bank accounts, credit cards, investments, etc. creates a feeling of access to a greater pool of assets, leaving each partner feeling richer. It also creates more accountability within the couple, because each partner has more visibility into the other’s spending and savings habits.

And the good news is that this increased accountability doesn’t seem to increase conflict about spending and savings.

So, why do only 43% of couples pool finances? Money, it seems, is a very emotional topic. Some people have a difficult relationship with money such that, despite the benefits, they’re not willing to risk combining all their money with a partner. Said differently, weighing what you lose versus what you gain is a very personal decision.