Millennial Money: Should unmarried couples have one account?

A couple talking about money. (Courtesy)

When a couple joins financial forces, it's typically so they can accomplish a joint savings goal or contribute to shared expenses, such as those that come from living together.

This is a typical step for married couples, but more unmarried couples are taking the plunge to combine households: The number of unmarried partners that live together nearly tripled between 1996 and 2017 from 6 million to 17 million, according to the most recent figures available from the U.S. Census. From living together to sharing other financial goals, unmarried couples may have questions about how they can manage their money together.