Most Canadian couples on the cusp of getting hitched haven’t had the financial “talk,” according to a CIBC poll released Thursday.

The online survey, conducted among 1,047 Canadian adults last month, found that only a third of couples who plan to get married or enter a common law relationship in the next two years have had a serious discussion about money – even though almost all respondents said it’s important to talk about their finances as a couple.

"While couples will spend several months planning, in great detail, their 'big day', our poll reveals that very few people actually broach the topic of how to plan and handle their finances once they begin their lives together," Jamie Golombek, managing director of tax and estate planning at CIBC Wealth Strategies Group, said in a release.

This can be problematic because almost 70 per cent of those who plan to marry or live common law have some type of debt, with almost half stating their top financial goal in the first couple years of marriage is to save up for a vacation.

Because marriage can already be such an emotional event, it’s often tough for couples to discuss money objectively, in which case they may want to seek advice from a third party, Golombek told BNN in a phone interview. But nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they had no plans to speak to a financial advisor.

“It’s the hardest thing to talk about,” Golombek said. "People are very private when it comes to money in terms of what they make and spend. People don’t like to talk about it – it’s not sexy, it’s not romantic.”

However, avoiding discussions about money isn’t necessarily a new trend, according to Golombek. “Anecdotally, I would tell you this is historically a common issue.”

What has changed is that people are delaying marriage, and coming into the union with greater income and substantial assets, Golombek explained.

In a report outlining tips for newlyweds, Golombek said that identifying how you and your partner may deal with money differently can be the “springboard” for having the bigger financial talk. He argued that everyone has different ‘money personalities,’ which he put into four categories: the super-saver, the cautious spender, the carefree and the avoider.

Golombek stressed the importance of determining your money personality before deciding to live with or marry a significant other. This will help couples avoid the financial stress that, according to the report, affects a quarter of marriages or common law relationships.