Premarital Financial Counseling
in California
You want specialized counseling that supports not only your emotional wellbeing but also your financial wellbeing. We understand. Premarital Financial Counseling at Koru Financial Therapy in California offers expert premarital financial guidance.
Why premarital financial counseling in California
Financial counseling & marriage
Congratulations! It's a wonderful time to plan your future together, but you may be wondering how to handle certain things. Maybe there is debt or premarital assets, income disparities, or differences in socio-economic backgrounds. You might also have real estate, a business, or children from a previous relationship. It's important to discuss these topics in a supportive manner to ensure both sides feel heard, confident, and secure.
Discussing finances before marriage
On the other hand, building a life together can be a beautiful thing. You want to talk about combining your money, lifestyle, values, goals, managing a household, saving, building wealth, spending on hobbies, and raising your children. It's normal to have differences, and it's essential to navigate these conversations as early as possible.
Koru Financial Therapy can help you establish financial intimacy, create safety and security, and prepare for wealth and wellbeing.
Why work with Koru Financial Therapy in California
Koru Financial Therapy knows and understands the excitement as well as the nerves that come along with deepening your relationship.
Koru Financial Therapy is the perfect choice for premarital couples who want to build wealth and wellbeing for the long term. For over six years, we have been helping couples increase awareness, understanding, and empathy while making financial decisions based on their values. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with you to achieve your goals and dreams.
Our holistic curriculum has been developed over the years incorporating research and client feedback to address the emotional, psychological, relational, and cognitive aspects of money that couples will face throughout their journey together. You can trust us to provide you with the best care and support.
Our sessions typically run for 60 minutes, and you can expect to attend 6-8 sessions to cover the key tenets of Premarital Financial Counseling by Koru Financial Therapy.
What is discussed in premarital financial counseling?
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![A photo with the words "Couples Money Readiness Assessment" refers to a base assessment for couple to start building on their financial wellbeing with the support of a Financial Therapist in California.]()
This assessment provides us with a baseline to work from and asks you to rate your communication confidence, money management, financial education, emotional intelligence, and literacy. It is a summary of what our work together will include based on your results. A brief video on mindful money premarital checklist.
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![Photo of the words "Money Story" representing a foundational piece in working with a financial therapist for clients who are looking to improve their financial wellbeing through Premarital Financial Counseling in California.]()
Exploring your money story is a foundational aspect of premarital financial counseling and financial therapy. Reviewing key memories, messages, and experiences during your developmental years is essential in shaping your narrative moving forward. Your money story includes influences from your family of origin, society, culture, gender, religion, socio-economic status, mental health, and significant life events.
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![A photo with the written word, Money Beliefs, representing the importance of understanding one's money beliefs when undergoing Premarital Financial Counseling in California to promote relational understanding and wellbeing..]()
These two assessments look at your core money beliefs and behaviors. They are not for diagnostic purposes but tools to increase awareness, and understanding, and to identify limiting beliefs and behaviors that could be impacting your relationship with money or your relationship as you navigate your forever financial journey. Listen to this podcast about money scripts.
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![A photo of the words, "Money Values" referring to identifying and using values as a tool for couples to make successful financial decisions together without regret or remorse learned in Premarital Financial Counseling in California.]()
During this part of the counseling session, we will explore the values of each partner and work towards agreeing on shared values for the relationship. These values will guide the financial decisions you make together, including budgeting, lifestyle choices, big financial decisions, setting boundaries with family, setting goals, and building your wealth legacy. When you fund these values, you can lead a life that's in harmony with your goals, filled with happiness, prosperity, and wellbeing.
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![A photo with the words "Money Conversations" referring to the importance of money conversations and how to create productive money conversations with a Certified Financial Therapist in California.]()
The research concludes over and over again the importance of communication in relationships. The skills you will learn and the tools you will apply throughout premarital financial counseling will increase confidence in asserting and having your needs acknowledged as well as navigating differences and conflict.
Having productive money conversations also reduces stress and creates intention and a healthy relationship with your money. Read this blog post on how to start money conversations.
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![A photo of the words "Money Management" referring to the importance of knowing your role in managing money as a couple as discussed in Premarital Financial Therapy in California.]()
The Money Management portion of counseling will review how you currently manage money, explore wishes or beliefs of how you should "combine or not combine" money as well as create a custom and clear money management system to support your forever financial journey.
This portion will also include gathering and sharing financial data as well as creating money management tools to track your wealth that are user-friendly to both partners. It also sets you up for success when you move on to Financial Planning.
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![A photo of the words, "Building and sustaining wealth" referring to couples working through premarital financial counseling with a financial therapist in California to create an intentional plan for their money.]()
Phew! Rome was not made in a day. You are now equipped, as a couple, to flourish in financial intimacy and generate wealth and wellbeing. In this final piece of premarital financial counseling, we will explore a plan of how to keep your skills, tools, and systems maintained as well as review who else might be important on your forever financial journey.
Benefits of premarital financial counseling in California
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When we think of intimacy in relationships, we don't think about financial intimacy but we should! Not only do we have a relationship with each other we have a relationship with our money and we need those relationships to find balance and harmony to be financially healthy and successful.
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Let's be honest, talking about money can be hard but it doesn't have to be. Whether you experience shame, guilt, fear, or anxiety, Koru Financial Therapy offers an inviting, warm, and supportive space to build your balance both emotionally and financially.
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Ever felt like you were on different pages or you realize that one of you is a spender and the other a saver? This is normal! Most couples have different money beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Let's accept that we are different and build your path to success that is reflective of both of you. Everyone wants financial security, joy, wealth, and wellbeing. Let's get your path underway today!
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Most couples don't talk about values and how they use their money to enrich their lives. In Premarital Financial Counseling, this will be our focus, and using these values to guide you through difficult thoughts, feelings, and actions related to money. Investing early on in your relationship and applying these skills will carry you through the curveballs that life may throw at you over the years.
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"I thought you were doing that". Has this ever happened to you? Whether implicit or explicit, there are important things to manage to ensure your money is cared for, purposeful, and working for you. Understanding and agreeing to roles in managing your money should happen early in the relationship and be reviewed periodically.
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Where to next? Most individuals, couples, families, and entrepreneurs may think and hope for generational wealth but often it is not talked about and more so no planning takes place. With premarital financial counseling, you are setting the foundation and system to achieve generational wealth. Exploring your potential as a couple, the income you will derive over time and where you will save/invest or spend it, the potential for building a business, and the ability to plan for and fund opportunities for your family or your children. There are so many things to dream about as you take this next significant milestone in your life.
“Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation”.
— Oscar Wilde
Effectiveness of premarital financial counseling in California
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No one wants to be a statistic. The good news is that the divorce rate has been trending down, according to a Forbes article highlighting recent divorce statistics. Unfortunately, financial stress is still a prominent reason for divorce yet the top statistic for why couples marry is financial security.
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Premarital Financial Counseling is steeped in communication. The exercises, skills, tools, and techniques are research and evidence-based to support you along the communication continuum: preparing, starting, and having conversations including hard ones. Equal to talking is listening and validating conversations heard.
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"I didn't know that about you" or "I guess I didn't explore their relationship with money". Premarital Financial Counseling increases financial transparency and trust in the relationship, core stabilizing factors in a relationship.
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Many couples, who experience financial infidelity, cite deferring to the other to handle the money because the partner is more savvy with money. This may be rooted in money avoidance beliefs, lack of financial literacy, and/or education. Premarital Financial Counseling supports education, literacy, and basic money management so both couples understand, and can address money concerns.
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"I don't know where the money goes". This is a common complaint from couples seeking out services. There are many, many ways our society and culture is set up to take our money. Whether through taxes, services, housing, transport, to more daily things like DoorDash, subscriptions for anything and everything, we likely don't know where all of our money goes. Premarital Financial Counseling increases awareness, encourages analysis, and creates intention and purpose around money.
Begin premarital financial counseling in California with Koru Financial Therapy
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Click on the button to schedule your free 20- minute consultation. We will reach out within 24 hours with some time/date options.
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On the call we can go over any additional questions you may have.
Being that rapport is an important part of therapy, we can explore I am a good fit. If not, I can provide you with resources or other referrals.
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Plan for 6-8 sessions to complete your premarital journey!
The first 3-4 sessions will be weekly, then bi-weekly, and as indicated.
Cost
Options & Fees
FAQs
Premarital financial counseling is an investment in yourself, your relationship, and the overall wellbeing of your financial life. The skills and practices learned can be used in many other aspects of your life.
Meet your financial therapist
Mariah Hudler
Owner and Financial Therapist
Let’s get to it… you want a successful and meaningful relationship both emotionally and financially.
Hi, I’m Mariah. I am a licensed psychotherapist and certified financial therapist based in California who focuses on helping individuals, couples, families, and entrepreneurs create healthy relationships with their money. My specialties include premarital financial counseling, ADHD, anxiety, depression, adjustment, and money disorders.
My approach is to use a safe and shameless space to have productive money conversations.
My educational background includes first, a BA in Sociology from UC San Diego, and second, an MSW, from UC Berkeley. My licensure is licensed clinical social worker in CA, LCSW65613.
I look forward to our work together.
Other therapy services at Koru Financial Therapy
ADHD and Money Financial Therapy
Learn the impact of ADHD on money management. Koru Financial Therapy in California provides a supportive and neuro-affirmative space to discuss money concerns.
Individual Financial Therapy
Learn how individual financial counseling in California with Koru Financial Therapy helps individuals gain confidence and control over their money.
Group Financial Therapy
Learn how Group Financial Therapy supports individuals using connection, support, coping skills, and expert guidance to reshape their relationship with money.
You, Me, & Money E-guide
You, Me, & Money E-guide
You, Me, & Money: A couple’s quick start e-guide to building financial rhythm.
Talking about finances in your relationship is challenging. This e-guide helps couples start talking about money in a healthy way by building a FINANCIAL RHYTHM in their relationship.
Contact Us
Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
10am–5pm
Phone
(916) 234-6733
Calls or emails will be returned within 24 hours during business days.
Services
In-person
Ecotherapy
Online