Firstly, I love that you're talking about investing and wanting to do it consistently together. That already puts you in the top tier of financially curious couples.

But here’s the thing. Investing as a couple is less about clicking “buy” on a low-cost ETF and more about getting really clear on your shared values, goals, timelines and responsibilities.

And you’re right to ask: should we invest jointly or separately? Because how you structure your investing can have both practical and emotional implications.

Let’s start with the big one: what happens if you break up?

I know. Nobody likes to talk about this bit. But it's called being financially mature.

If the investment is in both your names, it's shared. So if things don’t go as planned emotionally, you’ll have to untangle the assets financially. That might mean selling, splitting, and triggering Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the way out. Even if your relationship is entirely amicable, this part can get messy.

With separate accounts, your investments are yours (obviously you need to consider what it means from a legal perspective). Simpler if things change. And you each have more autonomy and control.

But there are pros to investing jointly too:

Transparency: Everything’s in one place, easier to track progress on shared goals.

Alignment: Forces good convos about risk, strategy and values.

Team energy: You’re building something together. That can feel powerful.

 Let’s talk logistics

You can open a joint brokerage account (depending on the platform).

But not all low-cost investing platforms offer this. Some are individual only.

Most couples in your stage choose one of three things:

1. Invest individually but follow the same plan. For example, both buy the same ETFs monthly.

2. One person invests on behalf of both. This can work well if one person is in a lower tax bracket, but it does require a high level of trust and a clear agreement about how it will work. It’s important to know the account and assets will legally belong to that person.

3. Open a joint account. If your platform allows it and you're both happy to share ownership.

Also think about: Brokerage/platform fees. You might get better rates consolidating, but some low-cost platforms charge as little as $0–10 per trade anyway. Tax. Individual accounts mean individual CGT events, which could be helpful or annoying depending on your income levels.

Before you invest another cent.

Talk through your goals.

Are you investing for a home, early retirement, freedom funds?

Check your risk profiles.

If one of you gets sweaty palms when markets dip 2 percent, and the other one’s browsing crypto Reddit threads for fun, you need to consider that and what feels like a good middle ground.

Make sure you both have F-off funds.

Before investing jointly, make sure you each have an emergency stash in your own name. Just in case life (or love) gets wild.

So, what’s better: joint or individual?

The answer is it depends. Don’t you hate that?

What matters more is that you’re aligned on what you’re building, how much risk you’re both comfortable taking, and how you’ll handle things if life doesn’t go exactly to plan. And honestly, you’re already off to a great start just by asking these questions.

Happy investing. And tell your partner I said good on them too.

Jess x 

Have a money dilemma?

Money dilemmas can be a nightmare! They can leave you up all night ruminating about what to do, have you feeling alone and isolated or just plain ol' stuck. So, we are here to help. I am going to tackle one a week and give you my unbiased, no BS general thoughts on how to tackle your conundrum. We would love for you to send yours (or someone you know) in. 

Obvs all of this is general advice only... especially important to note any and all of the comments above do not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information, you should consider the appropriateness of the information provided and the nature of the relevant financial product having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.