Supporting Client Couples With Misaligned Engagement Levels, With Sydney Squires

This Kitces.com podcast episode features Sydney Squires discussing "misengaged couples"—client couples where partners differ in involvement, communication style, or priorities in financial planning. It covers an assertiveness and cooperativeness framework for identifying types of misengagement, the risks of engaging only the more active partner, and strategies to ensure both clients feel heard. It also discusses client meetings, setting expectations early, and helping couples build a stronger relationship with their financial goals.

1. Sydney Squires is a Senior Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com.
2. The episode explores client couples with different levels of involvement, communication styles, or priorities.
3. It uses an assertiveness and cooperativeness framework to identify types of misengagement.
4. It covers risks of only engaging the more active partner and approaches for improving client meetings and setting expectations early.