Do You Separate or Merge Finances with Your Partner?

I've always been fascinated by the psychology of money: what it means for people; how it shape-shifts into power, security, love or status; how that complicates relationships and can translate into wildly irrational (and mostly secretive) financial behavior. That's why I couldn't put down "The Secret Currency of Love: The Unabashed Truth About Women, Money and Relationships," an anthology edited by Hilary Black and just issued in paperback.

Twenty-seven essayists contributed to "The Secret...