Don't Tell the Stepparent: Enmeshment and Financial Infidelity in Families with Stepchildren

Friday, October 6 | 3:00 pm – 3:50 pm | Providence 2

Stepfamilies face unique challenges in managing finances, which can lead to relational issues such as financial infidelity. While research on financial infidelity in romantic relationships has progressed over the past decade, its occurrence in stepfamilies still needs to be explored. This study provides a conceptual framework to examine the interplay between stepfamily dynamics and genetic relatedness concerning financial infidelity. The study also addresses implications for financial and mental health professionals and provides practical applications they can use to help address this issue.

Mikel Van Cleve

Mikel Van Cleve is a doctoral student at Texas Tech University in the Personal Financial Planning program. His research is focused on understanding the complex dynamics of money management within stepfamilies. Mikel is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) professional, Certified Financial Behavior Specialist®, and Certified Employee Benefit Specialist®. He has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, serving clients, training financial advisors, and developing digital financial planning tools and strategies.

Additional Authors

  • Ashley McWhorter