Choosing a spouse: your most critical financial choice

Sometimes, the stories shared by colleagues or total strangers carry more weight and wisdom than the most expert professional advice you could seek.

As a financial planner, part of my job is guiding clients away from costly mistakes.

While I can't influence personal choices like whom to marry, it's clear that divorce rarely improves one's financial position. Yet, the true value of freedom, safety, and happiness—how do we value that?

This story begins with a woman, whose life took a drastic turn when she found herself in the midst of an unhappy and violent marriage.
With a daughter to protect, she made a decision to leave everything behind for the sake of freedom.

Walking away meant giving up all financial security, the family home, and every penny to her name, leaving her to face the world with nothing but her determination and the responsibility of her child.

Indeed, she had the option to seek legal advice, embark on lengthy and emotionally taxing journey filled with negotiations, numerous meetings and maybe even court appearances. The divorce process can be one of the most challenging aspects, demanding considerable emotional resilience, time, and financial resources. Knowing that, she decided to opt out.

That road to independence was full of challenges; she borrowed money, juggled multiple jobs, and struggled to provide for her daughter. It took her years to pay off that loan, but her spirit remained unbroken.

Now, at an age where many seek the comfort of retirement, she continues to work, each day a step towards building a nest egg for her golden years, and through it all, she remains happy and has no regrets.

Her journey shows that the most crucial financial decision one can make is the choice of a life partner.

While staying in that relationship might have promised financial stability, it was the price of happiness, freedom, and safety that she wasn't willing to compromise.

In the end, this woman's story is a profound reminder that true wealth lies not in financial abundance but in the courage to choose happiness, freedom, and safety over material gains.

Despite the financial sacrifices she made by leaving an unhappy marriage, her life is rich with contentment, love, and resilience. Her journey highlights the invaluable lesson that the most significant financial decision one can make is to prioritize personal well-being and genuine happiness over monetary stability, proving that the richest lives are often those that are rich in spirit and joy, not just in bank accounts.