Their relationship is affected by the fact that she earns $550,000 a year while her husband earns $60,000.

Geena and James, a married couple, often have disagreements about money due to their significant income difference.

Geena, a 44-year-old corporate attorney in New York, earns more than $555,000 annually, while her husband, James, a 39-year-old freelance musician, earns around $60,000 a year. Despite their high income, the couple invests around 14% of Geena's gross income and enjoys taking luxury trips together.

Geena has always planned to handle everything on her own if necessary, and she's content with it. She's grateful for being able to provide for herself and her partner. However, she hopes that there will be less of a gap between them in the future. Geena shared this with self-made millionaire and financial expert Ramit Sethi on his "I Will Teach You to be Rich" podcast.

James expressed his desire to contribute more to their lifestyle and retirement goals, but he acknowledged that he financially cannot match up.

"Since I can't contribute in the same way or in a similar manner, I feel like I'm not enough," James stated on the podcast. "Not a pleasant feeling."

Sethi listened to the couple discuss their finances, lifestyle, and how they view money. He offered three suggestions for addressing their income disparity to enhance their relationships with money and each other.

1. Figure out what you really want

Geena's frustration isn't mainly about the income level, but rather the fact that James is unlikely to earn as much as she does.

Geena happily contributes more financially to their household and savings, but she relies on James to handle tasks like shopping for home essentials, which he frequently overlooks, according to Sethi.

"Sethi clarified that Geena does not anticipate James to earn exactly $50,000 monthly, but rather wants him to be financially responsible. He found it odd that Geena, who could afford luxury hotels, was the one ordering laundry detergent."

Financial wellness leads to happiness, wealth, and financial security.

In a different episode, Steve, 42, and Taylor, 39, encountered a similar predicament while conversing with Sethi. Taylor earns approximately $144,000 annually, while Steve makes roughly $36,000.

For eight years, Steve had been under-employed until he spoke with Sethi. However, from Taylor's perspective, Steve wasn't taking enough proactive steps, such as networking and applying to jobs.

Sethi stated that Taylor desires Steve to have a greater sense of self-worth and become a financial partner in their relationship.

Both women, despite stating that they wanted their husbands to earn more money, later realized that their primary concern was not the amount but rather their partners' growth and contribution to the household.

2. 'Master your own money psychology'

James's reluctance to increase his freelance rates frustrates Geena, who strongly believes in his talents and abilities.

James' fear of scaring off business prevents him from charging his customers more, while Geena doesn't understand why he doesn't do so. Sethi sees this as another source of tension in their relationship due to their differing views on money.

Sethi advised that the key to success is to gain control over your perspective on money and develop a strong understanding of your own money psychology.

Geena's scarcity mindset motivated her to pursue her career and salary to their fullest potential, ensuring she never had to worry about financial insecurity or purchasing desired items.

James, unlike his siblings, was raised as a "peacemaker" in his family. Consequently, he carries this mindset into his business, striving to maintain harmony with his clients by keeping prices low, even if it means sacrificing his own financial well-being.

Sethi pointed out that James is "thinking small" because he believes he's trapped in his current financial situation. To overcome this mindset, James could take steps such as enrolling in a course or reading a book to gain a better understanding of how to break free from it.

3. Stop playing mom

Geena and Taylor not only serve as breadwinners in their relationships but also assume mother-like roles with their husbands. They frequently remind their spouses to perform household tasks such as shopping for the home, job applications, and income-boosting strategies, and take on these responsibilities themselves when their husbands fail to deliver.

"Geena said, "Sometimes I feel like I'm Mom. I'm planning things. I'm taking care of all the things.""

"Trying to motivate Steve to work harder made me feel like a mom disciplining her child," Taylor said.

Sethi criticized the women for not stopping the dynamic from continuing.

Sethi stated that by not holding their husbands accountable for mistakes, their wives have created the impression that it's acceptable for things to remain unchanged.

Sethi advised Geena and Taylor to establish limits and impose consequences to allow their husbands to demonstrate their ability and willingness to make these changes.

James and Geena should establish a monthly contribution amount that James can reasonably afford to put towards their joint account. If he fails to meet this amount, he may need to forgo a vacation to maintain his financial stability.

If Geena could afford to bail him out and still pay for both of them to go on vacation, neither spouse would feel good about it.

Sethi conveyed that respecting their adherence to their principles and fulfillment of their promises would earn them more admiration than any other action.

Here are links to Steve and Taylor's episode and Geena and James's episode.

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