Some Husbands Now Giving 'Wife Bonuses' To Spouses For Keeping The Household Running

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- It might not be CEO pay, but some wealthy wives are bragging that they get something other women don't; a wife bonus.

It's given to them by their husbands to thank them for putting his career first.

As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, some women of privilege have claimed in op-eds, articles, and a new book that the 'wife bonus' is a real thing.

"I think it's a good idea because stay at home is a job," Sheryl Madonna said.

It works like this; after the wedding, she puts her career aside and stays home with the kids. He provides the income.

A percentage of any bonus he gets at work gets passed along as a thank you to the wife who keeps the household humming.

"Instead of giving her a diamond necklace you can give her money and she can buy the diamond necklace with the money," Ariel Schabes explained.

"I think the idea of it is good because I think women wind up doing more work at home with the family," Marianne Balazs said.

Some people said they didn't like it and preferred the idea of a joint bank account with equal access. They also said they don't support the concept of one spouse being the other spouse's boss.

"It's kinda like she's getting paid for what she's doing at home," Claudia Constancia said, "I think it should just happen naturally, like you both split the money."

Joan Jedell, founder and CEO of the Hampton Sheet said the wife bonus is an insult.

"She shouldn't be excited about getting his bonus when he could have given a gift. It would have been much more meaningful than to say 'you're mine. I owe you and I'm going to pay you,'" Jedell said.

"That means nothing to me, 'here's your bonus,' that's too cold," Alan Kulik said.

Kulik, married for 6 decades said spouses should appreciate each other. No bonus is needed.

"My bonus was happily married. That was my bonus in life," he said.

Supporters of the wife bonus said it allows the spouse to spend freely without guilt, instead of just dipping into the joint account.