On the set of Family Feud, for his motivational speaking video series “Motivated,” Steve Harvey shared a bit of financial insight that he calls “the best advice I ever got.” And given that the stand-up comedian, actor, and mogul has a reported net worth of around $200 million, there are probably worse people to take these sorts of tips from. The advice? That every married couple should have a minimum of four different bank accounts.
It’s something that’s probably crossed people’s minds before: how can a couple, conceivably together for the long haul, share and manage their funds? Harvey offers his reasoned take in the short video. “If one person works in the house, or if two people work in the house, it doesn’t matter,” he says in the video, presumably assuring people that this is universal advice. “You need four bank accounts.”
So for anyone curious, here’s a breakdown of why Harvey believes there are four bank accounts—each with its own dedicated purpose—that every married couple needs to have.
1) Account for all necessary items
The first account that Harvey says a married couple needs is one account with shared money. This takes care of things that need to be paid, like car notes, mortgage, electric bill gas bill, food, etc. “Everything that maintains your lifestyle,” he says.
2) Savings account
Harvey says that a second essential account is a savings account, and one that requires two signatures to move. “Out of every check—I don’t care if it’s $5, $10, $100—you’ve got to agree to put something in that savings account.”
3 and 4) Personal accounts for each party
Harvey then advocates that each party have their own accounts, filled with money that they solely decide what to do with. “You decide what the allowance is for each of the people,” he says. “I am not allowed to tell Marjorie what she can do with that money that’s in her account. I can’t check it. I can’t go behind it. She can’t say shit to me about mine. If I want to buy golf clubs with it, I can buy golf clubs.”
This is where Harvey suggests that the marriage isn’t just shared accounts and togetherness. It can leave a little space for each party to be themselves and do something of purely their own volition. “It allows a married couple to maintain some individuality, and no grown up person wants to go to another adult to ask for some fucking money,” he says.
You can watch the full video of Harvey’s financial advice below:
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