LOUIS, Missouri. When is it okay to lie to your partner? Some individuals believe that little white lies won’t hurt a relationship. After all, should you have to tell your husband that his hair cut looks terrible? Yet, according to Refinery 29, when it comes to long term serious relationships, honesty is the best policy. Yet, there are certainly some lies that can do more harm to a relationship. What are they? Here are a few:

 

• Lies about money. According to the Chicago Tribune, approximately one-third of American couples admitted to committing “financial infidelity.” Financial infidelity is when you lie to your partner about your debts or your spending habits. This might be small lies, like not admitting to spending money on expensive lunches while you’re at work. Or, it could be a big lie, like not revealing debts. When it comes to money, it isn’t a lack of it that leads to divorce, but lies about money and failures of communication around finances.
• Lies about fidelity. In addition to money woes, lies about fidelity are another leading cause of divorce. Again, the lie can be small or large, but sometimes seemingly small transgressions can be more serious. It all depends on the relationship you have with your partner. For example, in one couple, the man might cheat, lie about it, and then later come clean, and find that he and his partner can work through the deception. In another relationship, a woman might lie about meeting her ex for coffee and this can lead to a permanent loss of trust and the end of the marriage. It all depends on the strength of the relationship, the reasons for the lies, and each partner’s views on fidelity.
• Lies about satisfaction in bed. If your sex life isn’t as passionate as it once was, lying to your partner about your sex life isn’t going to make things better. In fact, it can just lead to broken trust. Having a frank discussion about desires, fantasies, and changes in your sex life can lead to building trust.
• Any lies. Every person has a unique relationship to honesty and trust. What may be a forgivable lie to one person may completely erode trust for another. In general, it’s a good idea to tell the truth. If you do choose to lie about something, consider your reasons for lying. Were you trying to protect the relationship or just yourself? Were you considering your partner’s feelings or just your own. These considerations matter if you ever have to come clean.

If you have been lied to, you may be thinking about getting divorced. Divorce is a serious legal step that must be carefully considered. Making decisions while you are still feeling anger about being lied to may not be the best path forward. However, now might be a good time to get information about what divorce might mean for you and your family. Visit the Behrens Law Firm, L.L.C., a divorce lawyer in St. Louis today. We can take a look at your unique circumstances and help you understand what the divorce process might look like. Visit us at https://ffa.963.myftpupload.com/ to learn more.