Independence

• Maintaining joint accounts means you both have equal access to both the funds in the account and the information you can get from the bank. You may feel like it takes away some sense of financial independence and want to have your own account separate from your spouse. Some couples compromise on the matter and have one joint account out of which they pay bills, and separate accounts for personal spending.
  
  

Credit

• If you maintain joint accounts, it becomes more difficult to build individual credit history. By having separate accounts, you can each be responsible for paying different bills, which shows a history of payments. It is important for both spouses to have a good length of credit history since one person might be left alone for a variety of reasons, such as death or divorce.
  
  

Debt

• Some couples that get married have very different debts and credit history. For example, your spouse might have outstanding loans, credit cards or have filed for bankruptcy. On the other hand, you may have a solid credit score and very little debt. In this case, you likely will not want your name attached to your spouse's accounts since it can bring you down financially.
  
  

Divorce

• If your spouse has been married before, he may have to pay child or spousal support. Having a joint account in this instance means any money you contribute to the account may be subject to that support. If your spouse falls behind on any payments and your name is linked, you are in some way financially connected. If the courts seize funds from your joint account or freeze it, your money is tied up as well.