Family rules regarding money can be classified as explicit or implicit. What is a key characteristic of explicit rules?

Explicit rules about money are characterized by being communicated verbally. This means that these rules are clearly articulated and understood by all family members, allowing everyone to know what is expected regarding financial behavior. For instance, an explicit rule might be a statement like, "We will save a certain percentage of our income each month." Because these rules are spoken or written, they eliminate ambiguity and create a clear understanding of the family's financial expectations, enhancing accountability among members.

Other characteristics mentioned in the options, such as being unspoken agreements or varying by family, pertain more to implicit rules. Implicit rules operate beneath the surface and are understood without being openly discussed. Cultural practices can influence both explicit and implicit rules, but they do not define explicitly stated rules. Therefore, the defining feature of explicit rules is that they are actively communicated and understood by the family.