🏹 Yours, mine, and ours

Valentine’s Day spending is growing nearly twice as fast as overall U.S. retail sales, with $29.1 billion projected in 2026. About 83% of consumers plan to buy a gift for a significant other, spending about $200 each.

While the commitment to gift-giving remains strong, approaches to managing finances together are changing. Today, 23% of couples don’t share any joint bank accounts. Here’s how separate finances work — and why more couples are choosing them.

— The Editors 

📝 Prenups go mainstream: More than 40%* of Millennials and Gen Z say they’ve signed a prenup, with apps like HelloPrenup, Wenup, and Neptune streamlining the process. HelloPrenup alone is involved in one in five prenups nationwide, attracting 5,000 users a month and safeguarding $26.7 billion in assets. Here’s how to tell if a prenup makes sense for you — and what it should cover.

🚗 Mine — for $772 a month: Car ownership can come with strings attached. Financing a new vehicle now costs an average of $772* a month, with one in five buyers paying $1,000 or more. Even used cars come with hefty payments, averaging $570 a month. Try these steps to manage car loan costs.

❓It’s complicated: A higher SALT deduction cap could allow some households to deduct up to $40,000* in state and local taxes starting with this year’s returns. But the new benefit — up from the long-standing $10,000 limit — varies widely by income, filing status, and location. It’s one of several changes set to impact 2025 taxes.

💎Worth its weight: Jewelry is a popular Valentine’s Day gift, with 25% of consumers planning to buy it this year. But jewels might not carry the same investment luster as gold and silver. Natural diamond prices fell as much as 26% over the past two years, underscoring why most jewelry is better viewed as a meaningful purchase than a reliable store of value.

Going solo

Entrepreneurs are approaching 2026 with confidence — the number of U.S. LinkedIn members adding “founder” to their profile increased 69%* year-over-year in 2025 and 54% of small business leaders say they’re optimistic about 2026.

Beyond the business plan, founders need to think about their own financial future. Many are turning to solo 401(k)s, retirement accounts designed specifically for self-employed individuals and small-business owners.

Yours, mine, and theirs  
 

Gen Alpha already drives $101 billion in annual spending, and allowances can help kids build early money skills like budgeting, saving, and decision-making. Empower research shows adults think kids should get $36.52 a week, supporting financial confidence and independence from an early age.

Date night, redefined

Consumers are still dining at full-service restaurants — but might be spending differently once seated. Menu prices rose 4.9% over the past year, double the rate* of groceries, according to the December Consumer Price Index (CPI).

McKinsey finds that while full-service restaurants led transaction growth* in 2025, spending growth has lagged — a sign diners are trading down on price, portions, or menu choices.

⬇️ ICYMI — get up to date with the latest headlines:
 

• What is a K-shaped economy — and why are people talking about it now?

• This new 401(k) catch-up contribution rule impacts high-earners age 50+

• Tax refund incoming? 5 smart moves to make before you spend it