The Couples Money Map: Build a Shared Financial Future Together

Susan L. Smeriglio is a personal finance educator and writer who has spent more than fifteen years helping individuals and couples take control of their financial lives. Her work focuses on the intersection of money and relationships—the place where spreadsheets meet feelings, where budgets become conversations, and where financial decisions reflect the values and dreams of the people making them.

Susan holds a degree in finance from the University of Massachusetts and began her career as a financial advisor, where she noticed a recurring pattern: the clients who achieved the best financial outcomes were not the ones with the highest incomes or the most sophisticated investment strategies. They were the ones who communicated openly with their partners, made decisions together, and built financial systems that honored both individual autonomy and shared goals.

This insight led Susan to shift her focus from traditional financial advising to financial education and coaching. She has since created online courses, led workshops for hundreds of couples, and written extensively about money communication, budgeting for two, and the emotional dynamics that shape how couples manage their finances. Her writing has appeared on platforms including NerdWallet, The Financial Diet, and Forbes.

Susan is a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE). She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her partner of twelve years, where they practice the same principles she teaches—talking openly about money, revisiting their financial plan regularly, and always keeping their shared vision at the center of their decisions. She believes that every couple has the capacity to build a strong financial partnership, not by being perfect with money, but by being willing to learn, adapt, and grow together.