Psychology Today: Financial Abuse is More Common Than You Think
Warning signs of financial abuse and the first steps toward safety.
Posted January 12, 2026 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan
Key points
Financial abuse is more prevalent than most people realize and often accompanies other kinds of abuse.
This type of abuse can include restricting access to money or controlling spending.
Clear boundaries and some financial independence can reduce the risk of financial abuse.
Rita never imagined that her marriage could feel like a prison. For the first 10 years of it, she told herself that her husband, Sam, controlling the money was practical. He was better at numbers, and she was focused on raising our two kids. It started small. He would handle the bills, remind her to save receipts, and discourage her from buying things for herself. Then, somewhere along the way, it became suffocating.
She remembered the first time she truly felt trapped. She needed $40 for a school trip for her oldest child, and her husband told her she would need to show him the flyer and explain why the trip was necessary. She felt completely powerless in the situation.
Now, she did not even know how much money they had. She did not have a debit card, had no access to online banking passwords, and she was being given a weekly cash “allowance” for groceries. It was barely enough to cover what the kids need for the week for groceries. If the kids need something extra, she would have to risk Sam screaming at her in front of the kids. On days when he is in a really bad mood, it may even escalate to physical violence.
For years, Rita told herself that if she could only avoid his bad moods, everything would be fine. But the fear was still there, a constant weight on her chest. She was terrified of what would happen if she left. How would she support the kids? How could she survive with no savings, no credit in her name, and no job history since her twenties? The thought paralyzed her, yet staying was no longer feeling like an option.
One night, Rita sat in the dark scrolling on her phone. She came across a hotline for survivors of financial abuse. Just seeing the words felt like a lifeline. The next day, while Sam was at work, she called the number. The woman on the other end of the line listened to Rita’s story without judgment. She offered information about local shelters and organizations that could help women rebuild their lives after abuse.
Rita knew the road ahead would not be easy. But as she sat watching her children play in the backyard, she realized she owed them more than this life of quiet desperation. Though the future felt uncertain, for the first time in years, she felt a flicker of hope. She had started a plan, and maybe, just maybe, they could get out.