For centuries, society has upheld the belief that marriage should be founded on love. However, Lena Nguyen, a prominent divorce lawyer licensed in Texas, California, and New York, challenges this conventional wisdom. In a viral Instagram video, she asserts, "You need to marry for money. Do not marry for love." While controversial, her advice stems from years of witnessing financial hardships destroy relationships and families.
Marriage as a Business Contract
Nguyen, who has spent countless hours in courtrooms observing marital breakdowns, argues that marriage is as much a financial arrangement as an emotional one. "Imagine marrying for love and watching your children have so much potential, but not being able to provide for them. As a divorce lawyer, I have seen that exact moment play out in real life more times than people want to admit. Marriage is a business contract," she explains.
Why Ignoring Money Can Be a Deal Breaker
We have been conditioned to view marriage primarily through an emotional lens. People often advise following your heart and disregarding financial considerations. While this narrative works in romantic comedies, it often fails in reality. "We romanticise this idea of marrying for love like it's the most noble decision a person can make. Follow your heart. Ignore the money. Everything will work out. It sounds beautiful until your child is 10 years old, asking why everyone else on the team has private training, and they do not," Nguyen says.
Children Are Extremely Materialistic
From a logical perspective, will your child appreciate that they cannot attend summer camp because their parents married for love rather than financial security? Raising children requires more than emotional investment; it demands financial resources. "People hate when I say this, but children are extremely materialistic. Not because they're spoilt, but because they are observant. Children live in the real world. They see which classmates go to summer camps, who get music lessons, who travel, who have tutors, and who get a laptop that actually works. Children notice the difference between potential and opportunity," the lawyer explains.
Love Alone Won’t Fulfil Your Child’s Dreams
Consider this: your child is brilliant, curious, talented, and full of energy. They excel in maths, sports, or the arts. But then you realise that money is the barrier keeping them from their dreams. How does that feel? You cannot teach your child to dream within limits. "That is a brutal realisation. Children do not care about your love story. They care about the environment in which they grow up. They care about the doors that are open to them. No child is sitting there thinking, at least my parents married for love. They are thinking, why can't I do that too? That question lands like a punch in the stomach. This is the part that people avoid saying out loud. Love is amazing, but raising children is not just emotional. It is logistical. It is expensive. It is strategic," Nguyen states.
The Bottom Line
This does not mean you should marry solely for money. However, when selecting a partner, ensure they match your financial stability. Money matters. While it cannot buy all happiness, it makes life easier. "This does not mean you marry someone only for money, but pretending money does not matter when you plan to raise children is not romantic. It is naive. Potential without resources is like a Ferrari with no fuel. Beautiful, powerful, not going anywhere," the lawyer concludes.
