By Diane Darling, M.S. with Lauren Mizock, Ph.D.

Becoming a stepparent can be an incredibly rewarding journey, but it often comes with its own set of unique challenges — especially in the realm of finances. Despite my years of experience as a stepmother, I continually face new familial financial dilemmas that lack straightforward solutions. Luckily, as a clinical psychologist in training, I have the unique opportunity to conduct research aimed at shedding light on these issues, which have been largely neglected in traditional family finance literature. In my recent study, “Blending and Spending: Financial Influences Impacting Childfree Stepmothers’ Relationship Satisfaction,” my co-authors and I found some valuable insights that shed light on how financial variables can contribute to relationship satisfaction among childfree stepparents.

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