Money talk with your partner: 10-minute plan

Talking money with a partner can feel awkward, but avoiding it often causes bigger problems later. Strong couples do not avoid finance; they make it less scary and more routine. In just 10 minutes, you can kick off alignment around one of your shared dreams: saving for your child’s future.

Below is a simple conversation plan, plus phrases to use (and to avoid), to help you both move forward without defensiveness. At the end: a gentle nudge to open a UNest UTMA and start contributing together.

The 10-Minute Conversation Plan: Outline & Tips

• 0:00–1:00 | Set tone & intention: “Hey, can we take 10 minutes to talk about how we want to handle savings for the baby? I don’t want this to be heavy, just to get us on the same page.”Goal: Frame the talk as collaborative, short, and not blame.
• 1:00–2:30 | Share money stories / attitudes: “Growing up, my parents saved, spent, or avoided talking about money. That shaped me to feel ___.” Ask your partner: “What about you?”Goal: Understand each other’s background without judgment.
• 2:30–4:00 | Vision & priorities: “What do we want for the child in 5, 10, or 18 years? Education? Travel? A safety net?”Goal: Create shared goals.
• 4:00–5:30 | Current state (assets / debts): “Here’s what we have now in savings and investments. Are there liabilities I should know about?”Goal: Transparency and no surprises later.
• 5:30–7:00 | Decide roles & mechanics: “Who will contribute? How often? Where do we hold it? Do we set up automatic transfers?”Goal: Make the plan concrete.
• 7:00–8:30 | Address concerns / objections: “What worries you about doing this?” Listen. “I hear you. Let’s figure out a guardrail we both feel safe with.”Goal: Diffuse resistance and validate feelings.
• 8:30–10:00 | Commit & next steps: “Let’s each commit $X per month, or begin with a small amount. I’ll open the UTMA. We’ll check in in three months to adjust.”Goal: Agreement and accountability.

Tips to make it smoother:

• Pick a relaxed time without tension or distractions.
• Use “we” language instead of “you” or “me.”
• If the talk gets heated, pause and come back later.
• Be okay with starting small. Momentum matters more than perfection.
• Set a recurring “money check-in” so it becomes routine.

“Say this. Don’t say that.” — Softening language

• Say this: “I want us to align on this together.”Don’t say: “You need to do this my way.”
• Say this: “What worries you about contributing more?”Don’t say: “Why are you reluctant to save more?”
• Say this: “Let’s start small so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.”Don’t say: “We should dump all extra money into this at once.”
• Say this: “I hear your concern about liquidity. Maybe we do a buffer fund too.”Don’t say: “You’re being unrealistic or too conservative.”
• Say this: “I’m open to your ideas and adjustments.”Don’t say: “We’re doing it this way, end of story.”
• Say this: “We can revisit this and make changes.”Don’t say: “This is permanent, no revisiting.”

Avoid framing disagreements as conflict. Treat them as discovery: “Help me understand your view.”

Why use a UTMA for child savings

A UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) account is a custodial account that lets you contribute money or assets for a minor until they reach the age of majority in your state. Unlike some education-only accounts, funds in a UTMA can be used broadly for anything benefiting the child.

Starting a UNest UTMA is a practical way to centralize child savings, automate contributions, and keep things transparent.

Try it tonight

If you try this 10-minute plan tonight, you may be surprised at how much clarity you gain and how much less anxiety future decisions bring.

If you are ready to act: Open a UNest UTMA and commit just $10–$25 per week (or whatever fits your budget). Automating the contributions removes friction, and over time that consistency builds something meaningful for your child’s future.

Open a UNest Account Today