weddingWould you marry a bachelor with a million dollars? My friends used to raise the same question when we were kids. What usually sparked a debate was the ensuing query: What if that man or woman is ugly and cruel? Obviously, we were totally clueless about romance and marriage back then.

Now, friends still raise the issue from time to time, but discussions have taken a different twist. “Would you marry for love or money?” They now ask.

I just found a report that attempts to answer the million-dollar question. According to “Marriage for love of money” at Wall Street Journal, two-thirds of women and half the men said they would marry for money.

When asked about their “price” to see them walk down the aisle, the singles said it would have to be over $1 million to $2 million in net worth.

But isn’t love the end-all and be-all of happiness? Doesn’t almost every chick-flick end with a blushing bride marrying the “man with a good heart” and they live happily ever after? Not necessarily. It’s the marriage that comes in bundles of money that lasts.

That’s at least according to Daniela Drake, a former McKinsey consultant, who recently raised the issue in her piece in Reuters. Are women better off marrying for money?

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As highlighted by Drake the glaring disparity between women and men in the workplace: The number of female CEOs on the Fortune 500 grew from eight to 12 in two years. “At this rate it will take a little over 100 years for us to represent half of the CEOs in the Fortune 500, in the year 2128,” she said.

Indeed, 12 is a disappointing figure, considering that a lot of women have sacrificed a lot to outpace men in the workplace. But who’s to blame? Unlike men, women are always torn between motherhood and career, and, unfortunately, many have chosen the path away from the corporate ladder. So, given that equality in the workplace is impossible to achieve in our lifetime, should women marry rich, then?

A financial adviser makes it very clear: Women should marry for love, but not for the love of money. He however, notes that many women from poorer countries who married men from richer ones have very successful marriages.

“There is something very attractive to women about a man with lots of money. Similarly, most men are fascinated by women with personal wealth.”

Personally, I’m not that financially desperate to pounce on just about anyone with a fat wallet. Will I ever consider tying the knot with a billionaire, just for his money? No. But if the person I love happens to be that billionaire, that would be perfect!

Let’s take this further. What if the one I love has no financial plan in place, has difficulty paying the bills and spends more than he earns? Now, that’s where the problem comes in. Money issues are the leading cause of divorce. We’ve heard that many times.

It does make sense when people say marriage is like a business arrangement, that money plays a critical role in the sustainability of a partnership. Do you really think your marriage will fare better if your partner is bad with finances? Do you honestly want to be with someone who is miserably in debt and squanders away all your hard-earned money?

I believe that love and commitment are a solid foundation for a marriage. But we should not ignore the fact that money problems can easily break a union.

I’m not saying you choose only a rich partner to cover your bases, but rather one who is responsible with money and makes your heart tick at the same time.

The subject is totally thought-provoking. The underlying message remains the same: Choose your partners wisely. Deliberately or not, it’s a financial decision too.

What’s your take on the issue?