February is National Weddings Month

INDIANAPOLIS (February 14, 2013)- Secretary Lawson today reminds all Hoosiers thinking about getting married about the importance of responsible financial decisions when preparing for marriage or as newlyweds. February is National Weddings Month and Secretary Lawson took Valentine’s Day to remind Hoosier couples about her office’s Money Skills for Newlywed Couples.

“Financial compatibility is one of the most overlooked and yet one of the most important aspects that couples need to consider when getting married.  In fact, debt brought into marriage and financial decision making are two of the most problematic issues that newlyweds experience in their first years of marriage.  Discovering your own personal finance style and combining it with your spouse’s early on can help prevent stress and arguments after saying ‘I Do,’” said Secretary of State Connie Lawson

According to a poll conducted by USA TODAY, nearly two-thirds of married couples said they talked little or not at all before the wedding about how to combine their finances, even though arguments over money may be the number one predictor of divorce. In response to these numbers, Secretary of State Connie Lawson began distributing the Money Skills guide to county clerks to hand out as Hoosier couples apply for marriage licenses. County clerks report that they cannot keep them in stock. 

“The average cost of a wedding in the United States is $25,631.  That’s a lot of money spent in usually a year or less.  Because of this, couples can easily get stuck in a spending cycle even after marriage.  I want to make sure newly engaged couples and newlyweds are equipped with the skills they need to stop the spending cycle and create joint financial skills in hopes to create happy Hoosier couples,” said Secretary Lawson. 

The Money Skills guide is distributed through Indiana Investment Watch, an educational program designed to increase financial literacy in Hoosiers and to educate them about the various types of securities fraud.  The program is not funded by taxpayers, but rather comes from the fines imposed on violators of securities laws.  For more information or to view Money Skills for Newlywed Couples, visit www.IndianaInvestmentWatch.com.