One of the best times of our client’s life is when they or their kids have decided to get married. It means they are embarking on a new chapter in their life, either their own or through their children. This life event typically comes with a hefty price tag. According to ValuePeguin, the average cost of a wedding in the US ranges from $12,000 (in Mississippi) to $88,000 (in Manhattan). The cost of a wedding can certainly take a bite out of your financial life.
Traditional wedding ceremonies and celebrations can be hugely expensive, as outlined above, and detrimental to your financial plan. We would recommend that you take a few minutes with your advisor and have them assist you through this financial juggernaut. It is key to determine what type of celebration is in your budget or to what degree you would be able to help your children. This is an expense that you would want to have as part of your overall financial plan. Hopefully it is part of your overall plan and you have a separate savings where you have been setting aside money for this momentous occasion. This would certainly help you reach your desired expectations while not forcing you into debt and hindering your financial goals.
Helping out children tends to be a bit more difficult conversation than speaking with a client that is planning their own wedding. We all want to help our kids and provide them with the best. We have seen some parents sacrifice their own financial stability for the pleasure of their kids. It is important to educate yourself on what you can and cannot afford. We have had our clients use us as the bad guy and inform their children that they only have a certain amount of financial resources, a dollar amount, available to contribute. These are not easy conversations, but ones that will help keep you from making a financial misstep.
There are many ways to celebrate a wedding and it is definitely a matter of preference. Spending tens of thousands of dollars for a several hour celebration may not be the best use of your financial resources. It is important that the happy couple or the parents and children sit down and outline what the expectations are for the cost of the wedding or what they will contribute to the event. Recently, we had a client who asked if they could take a deduction for the expenses they are incurring for their son’s wedding. This is not an option, but it makes you think if they would spend more if it were deductible. There are certainly ways to make a memorable event without bankrupting the family’s financial situation.
Every marriage should start out on the right foot and being in a financial hole does not help a marriage one bit. Please feel free to contact us, Mitlin Financial, at (844) 4-MITLIN x12 if you or someone you know is planning on paying for a wedding, their own or for a child. We look forward to helping you, and them, make the decision that is best for all.
This article represents the opinion of Mitlin Financial Inc. It should not be construed as providing investment, legal and/or tax advice.
