This is the surprising thing that creates the happiest couples

Think back to the last really bad argument you had with your significant other. You know the one. It included multiple Olympic-worthy eye rolls, gratuitous mentions of mothers and/or best friends, and at least one callback to something only one of you remembers. Yeah, that one. Chances are, that argument was about finances, or somehow related to money. According to a recent You Gov survey, American couples argue the most about tone of voice or attitude (36%), followed by communication style (29%), and then money (26%)—although it’s likely that couples arguing over attitude and communication may be experiencing residual financial (or other) tension. You may not be worried, since the makeup sex is always hot and heavy enough to make the money argument seem worth it. After all, couples who communicate and connect well in the bedroom consistently report greater relationship satisfaction, not to mention better physical and mental health. But even if your physical and emotional intimacy rivals the heated stuff you see on HBO, if you can’t talk about money without a fight, it may not be enough–no matter what John Lennon has to say about it. In fact, a quantitative study published in Couple and Family Psychology found that 50% of divorcing couples cited financial difficulties as a major factor in their split. The good news, according to a recent study from Fidelity, is that couples can strengthen their financial partnership and feel more connected. All they have to do is communicate openly and regularly about their finances. If that sounds about as appealing as couples’ colonoscopies, here’s how you can add monthly money talks to your relationship without sacrificing romance. Don’t assume money conversation = argument There’s an excellent reason why couples don’t tend to run spreadsheets on their honeymoon. Money feels like a fraught topic. “Nearly half of couples say they skip money conversations because they don’t want to start an argument,” says Chandler Riggs, a vi