"My dad's wife got rich when she was with her ex-husband. She already had a successful career herself, but her brother sold his share of a big company and became nearly a billionaire. The whole family then got rich because he's a generous guy. Her ex-husband did not take it well. It hurt his masculinity, and he became an alcoholic. The family tried to help him, but he was a lost cause, so they divorced. He died last year."
"We ended up going to the same public university and continued to graduate school. During grad school, he got his first job at a startup and dropped out of his PhD program because the pay was pretty good (starting salary of $80,000, if I'm remembering correctly). A month in, the startup got acquired, and he went from broke grad student to having $300,000 in savings almost overnight."
Partners experiencing sudden financial gains provoke varied relationship outcomes. Some couples report no behavioral change despite large income disparities. Wealth can undermine a partner's identity, trigger substance abuse, and lead to divorce and long-term harm. Sudden windfalls from startups can convert struggling students into homeowners with substantial savings and accelerated career progress. Long-term commitment and shared values can preserve stability even when incomes diverge. Emotional responses, perceived shifts in power, and coping mechanisms determine whether newfound wealth deepens connection or precipitates separation.
Read at BuzzFeed
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