Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach Review

TL;DR

David Bach's Smart Couples Finish Rich (revised and updated edition) is a 9-step framework for couples to align on money — values, goals, debt, retirement, life insurance, estate basics, and a written plan. It's not the most rigorous personal-finance book on the shelf, but it's one of the most followable for partnered readers because every chapter ends with a structured exercise the two of you can do at the kitchen table.

Why It Matters

Money conflict is one of the top reasons relationships fail, and most couples never have a structured first conversation about it. This book gives you the conversation in nine pieces with worksheets. For the life-insurance category specifically, Bach handles the basics — term vs. permanent, beneficiary coordination, ensuring both partners are covered — at the right depth for non-experts.

Key Specs

• Author: David Bach
• Pages: ~336 (revised edition)
• Publisher: Crown Currency
• Format: paperback, hardcover, ebook, audiobook
• Reading time: 7-9 hours
• Subject: couples financial planning, retirement, insurance basics

Pros

• 9-step structure couples can actually follow together
• Worksheets and conversation prompts are practical
• Insurance, retirement, and estate basics covered at the right depth
• Updated edition addresses post-2008 realities
• Bach's tone is encouraging without being preachy
• Useful even when only one partner is engaged

Cons

• Some advice favors high-cost products (annuities, whole life) more than newer evidence supports
• Examples skew middle/upper-middle income
• Light on estate planning specifics — use a dedicated book for that
• 9-step framing can feel formulaic
• Less rigorous than Bogleheads-style sources

Who It's For

Newly married, newly cohabitating, or any couple who hasn't sat down together with a written plan. Couples merging finances after a major life event. Skip it if you're single, already operate on a written joint plan, or prefer evidence-based PF sources without product recommendations.

How to Use It

Read it together, one chapter per week. Do every worksheet. Talk through values exercises before the dollar exercises — order matters. After finishing, schedule a quarterly money date to revisit goals. Use the insurance and estate chapters as a starting checklist to take to a fee-only advisor.

How It Compares

Vs. I Will Teach You To Be Rich (Sethi): Sethi has a couples chapter, Bach is couples-only and deeper. Vs. Get a Financial Life (Kobliner): Kobliner is broader life-stage; Bach is partnership-specific. Vs. fee-only financial advisor: book is preparation, advisor is execution.

Bottom Line

A workable couples-finance starter despite some dated product advice. Buy it for the conversations and worksheets. Skip it if you want pure evidence-based investing content.

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