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Couple’s $165,000 debt load highlights risks of hiding credit balances
Yahoo Finance reports the couple amassed the debt despite a combined $188,000 household income, and total obligations rose again after an initial disclosure.
A newlywed couple featured on Ramit Sethi's Money for Couples podcast said they went into marriage expecting financial strain, but they did not know the full extent of their shared debt, including credit card balances accumulated in secret.
According to Yahoo Finance, Arhem had built up $30,000 in credit card debt he did not disclose until about a month before the wedding, and the couple said the debt later grew again, bringing their total obligations to $165,000 while their combined household income was $188,000.
The story describes their finances as structured on paper through tracking and spreadsheets, but says they experienced the situation as more routine than progress, with Sana expressing anxiety tied to a strong sense of responsibility to financially support her family.
Yahoo Finance also cites research on the fallout from hidden debt, including Debt.com's survey results that show 37% of divorced Americans reported hiding credit card debt during marriage and 42% said credit card debt contributed to the relationship ending.