Money can save your marriage, survey says

It's no secret that money woes can be a serious strain on a marriage, and couples who fight about money are statistically more likely to get divorced. But new research shows that couples who go into marriage with no assets, as well as those who rack up significant debts shortly after marriage, are less satisfied in their marriages over time. What's more, the bigger the debt they incur, the greater the problems.

"It seems to be that assets take the edge off of financial pressure and the worry about making ends meet or being able to pay the bills at the end of the month," says Jeffrey Dew, associate professor at Utah State University, who studied couples' attitudes about money and their own unions. While assets have an indirect cushioning effect, shielding people from anxiety that leads to arguments, Dew told WalletPop in an interview, debts have a more direct, insidious impact.