ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Morgan Stanley’s E*TRADE today announced the results of the most recent wave of StreetWise, E*TRADE’s quarterly tracking survey of experienced investors. As Valentine’s Day approaches, the study looked at how couples manage their finances together:

• Help from a partner is appreciated. More than three in four investors with a partner (78%) said their partner is helpful when it comes to making financial decisions.
• Few people fly solo when it comes to investing. Almost half of couple investors (48%) said they rarely or never make investment decisions without their partner, and about a quarter (22%) said they only sometimes act without the advice of their partner.
• But if they do, the trust is there. Nearly two in three couple investors (64%) said they felt comfortable having their partner make investment decisions without their input.
• And the lines of communication are open. Two in three paired investors (66%) say they always or frequently discuss their portfolio and investments with their partner.

“Some may think it’s obvious that couples rely on each other when it comes to investing, but too often money can be a taboo subject and a serious cause of stress for couples. couples,” said Mike Loewengart, managing director of investment strategy at Morgan Stanley’s E*COMMERCE. “With volatility on the rise and the Fed shifting gears, now could be a good time for couples to reassess their risk tolerances and combined goals. Staying the course during market fluctuations often proves to be a winning strategy, but it doesn’t hurt to re-evaluate as life events can alter long-term plans.

Mr. Loewengart offered additional considerations for couples planning their financial future:

• Set a “date” to talk about money. It may seem like an unusual date, but setting aside time to discuss shared goals and views on money can help strengthen your bond and avoid arguments or surprises along the way. Having an honest and open dialogue about the often sensitive topic of how you handle money can help identify common goals, create a unified plan, and set tangible steps to create the lifestyle and future you you wish. Agreeing on savings goals is the first step to making them a reality, whether it’s planning a big vacation, paying for a wedding or a child’s college, or even retirement.
• Expect the unexpected. While it’s important to have a long-term financial plan, there will often be a bump in the road. Building an emergency fund—a good rule of thumb is to save three to six months of living expenses—can help keep you on track during these unforeseen events.
• Drown out the noise. During bouts of volatility, it’s important to stick to your plan and make smart decisions. Market corrections are natural and happen from time to time, but history has shown that investors are better off when they stay invested with a well-diversified portfolio and avoid rash decisions.

E*TRADE aims to strengthen the financial independence of traders and investors through a powerful digital offer and professional advice. To learn more about E*TRADE’s trading and investment platforms and tools, visit etrade.com.

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About the survey

This wave of the survey was conducted January 3-11, 2022 among an online U.S. sample of 901 self-directed active investors who manage at least $10,000 in an online brokerage account. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.20% at the 95% confidence level. It was commissioned and administered by Dynata. The panel is divided into active (trade more than once a week), swing (trade less than once a week but more than once a month) and passive (trade less than once a month) tiers. The panel is made up of 60% men and 40% women, with an even distribution between online brokers, geographic regions and age groups. The non-unique dataset includes 311 investors.

About Morgan Stanley’s E*TRADE and Important Notices

Morgan Stanley’s E*TRADE provides financial services to retail clients. Securities products and services offered by E*TRADE Securities LLC, Member SIPC. Investment advisory services offered by E*TRADE Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Commodity futures and options on futures products and services offered by E*TRADE Futures LLC, Member NFA. Banking products and services are offered by Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association, Member FDIC. All are separate but affiliated subsidiaries of Morgan Stanley. More information is available at www.etrade.com.

The information provided here is for general information purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

E*TRADE by Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE and the E*TRADE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of E*TRADE by Morgan Stanley. ETFC-G

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E*TRADE engages Dynata to program, field and compile the study. Dynata provides digital research data and has locations in America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. For more information, visit www.dynata.com.

Referenced data