Should couples share responsibilities

Should couples share money and household responsibilities?

I have friends who deal with this question all the time. Times have changed and it is a dual-earner income that keeps up with our financial obligations. My big question is do you think couple should share these responsibilities? In dual-earner households, each partner retains separate accounts, etc., and pays money either into a shared account for shared bills, or the bills are split in half. Consensus is required in order for a bill to be considered shared -- if I buy a car, it's my bill unless my partner agrees to the purchase and agrees it is our car. Typically mortage or rent, utilities, etc. are shared. In the pooled scheme, both members put their paycheck into a shared account, and all bills are paid out of this account. Large possessions are clearly theirs, and permission may be required or perceived as required for purchasing items clearly his or hers. When debating who does more work around the house, all too often the work done by men (car and house maintenance, lawn and yard care, bookkeeping). Anyone who has been stuck doing it all alone knows that both genders typically contribute the care and upkeep of a shared home. A case can be made, however, that a lot of the tedious, unavoidable, time-pressure tasks are traditionally assigned to women (laundry, daily cooking). Dual-earners are pressed for time, and so let a lot of stuff go: surface clean the house; don't bother with the car, etc. They also hire other services: take-out or fast-food, a cleaning service.