To think joint finances make more sense once children arrive?

[TheHonestShaker]

Once children are involved, I struggle to see how completely separate finances are always fair - especially given the impact pregnancy, childcare, and reduced earning capacity can have on the woman. I’ve read quite a few threads where splits are technically “equal” but in practice seem to leave one person (often the mother) carrying more of the long-term financial impact. Because of that, I tend to think fully joint finances make more sense in that situation.

AIBU?

Separate finances here. Together 34 years. DC are now both adults. Money never been an issue between us. We've always had separate accounts.

We have separate finances with DH and we have 3 DC. It works well for us.

I'd never agree to joint finances.

I think seperate finances work fine if there is enough money to go around.
I pay for groceries, cleaner and dc related costs. Dh pays to run the house.
We pool some joint savings for holidays and home improvements.
If we were counting every penny or I was a low earner it wouldn't work.

No kids but we do have largely separate finances and split all of our bills down the middle, these are paid from a shared account. The current arrangement works for us and leaves us to save/ spend the leftover as we please. Personally I would never do 100% joint finances/ pooling all wages and can't understand why so many so this, every couple I know that have done this invariably ends up disagreeing about who is spending the other person's money and feels that one person is more controlling with the arrangement!