8 ways to talk to your partner about money, especially when you just started dating

It's important to discuss finances with your partner early in your relationship, financial planners say.But talking about money doesn't always come easily, so we asked financial experts the best ways to broach the subject.You should do your homework before you bring up finances, they said, and frame questions in a way that make it a two-way conversation.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.When you start dating someone, there's a lot to find out about them — their interests, their values, and how you two overlap (or don't) on certain things, to name a few.But what about finances？ When you meet them for dinner, do you ask, “How was your day — and do you contribute to a 401(k) or have any debt？”“For a lot of people, talking about money may not come naturally,” Heather Winston, a financial planner and an assistant director at Principal Financial Group, told Business Insider. “It's also not likely to come up on your first date either — if you want a second one.” She said that while it's not something to focus on too early, it's also not a conversation you want to table until after you walk down the aisle, or worse, when all the bills show up. “When your relationship is getting more serious, it's time to have a more frank talk about money,” Winston said. “It won't always be easy, but addressing the difficult conversation will be critical to establishing a strong foundation for your future together.”But talking about money does not always come easily. So we asked financial experts to weigh in on the best ways to talk to your partner about money — especially when you just started dating.Here's their best advice.