Financial power struggles challenge even most solid partnership. Unfortunately, money too often equates to control in a relationship. The delicate balance of power between you is dependent on successful combination of love and money.

In majority of relationships today, both members contribute financial resources. Despite strides women have made toward financial equality on job, though, men still have greater earning power. In general, with more disposable income, men invest more money and take greater risks than women. Women as a whole are more conservative in their investments because it takes them longer to earn money. Money attitudes are also influenced by age, family upbringing, religion, and each person's own unique financial trials and errors.

Everyone has opened a bank account, paid rent or mortgage, kept telephone and electricity turned on. When you make decision to share your life with someone, though, such mundane issues suddenly become complicated.

Do you keep separate bank accounts or do you put all money in one account? How do you split monthly expenses? Do you each pay a portion or do you pay bills out of a joint account? Should you be able to sign on your partner's bank account? Did one of you bring assets to relationship that other uses, such as a car or a home, for which expenses should be shared?

Financial advice for couples over fifty varies significantly depending on age, economic status and dependents. Every situation is different, but following is general advice for everyone.

Many modern couples keep their finances separate, while others opt to pool all their funds. Making decision on day-to-day handling of what was formerly “his” and “her” money can be a tough one.

When my son was born there was a clear sense that this was territory that I knew: there will be wrestling, playing ball together, playing with cars and, he has a penis! There was a sense of security from all of this and a deep sense of knowing.

Raising a daughter creates different issues for many fathers; it is even more challenging considering cultural landscape that exists today.

To better understand these issues, it is helpful to explore expectations of girls that we have as fathers, many of which may be expectations handed down from our own fathers.

Some men feel a strong need to control their daughters, and expect them to act “nice” at all times.

Others shower their daughters with all of gifts and "things" that they’ll ever need, seeing them as weaker than boys (therefore not encouraging strength and discipline in them).

It’s easy for fathers to treat their sons and daughters differently. They can be rough-and-tumble with their sons…but treat their daughters with kid gloves. This opportunity to wrestle or to play physically with your daughters is extremely important, because it shows them that you believe they are capable enough to handle it. (If your daughter is eighteen, it’s probably not a good idea to start now.)

The cultural messages we get are that girls and young women are valued for being beautiful, thin, talented, etc. Girls should also be happy, agreeable and eager to please. This cultural backdrop may be partly responsible for alarming statistics concerning rates of depression, anorexia, bulimia, and other disorders for girls when they are approaching or have entered their teen years.

So how can fathers overcome some of these barriers and help create daughters who become strong, secure women?

If fathers want their daughters to grow up to be strong and secure women, it is absolutely essential that they like women and that they respect them.