DEAR ABBY: My fiance and I are both 68. We have been engaged for a year now. When we shopped for an engagement ring, we also purchased wedding bands because the jewelry store was having a sale.
Because of our ages, I have come to feel that there is no compelling reason to get married. It would be a big legal hassle, and there's no reason why we just cannot live together. He agrees. However, we have made a commitment to each other, and I call him my husband and he calls me his wife.
My question is, would it be OK for us to wear the wedding bands, even though we are not legally married? I wonder if other couples have done this having made that commitment to each other. Your thoughts? -- HAPPILY TOGETHER
DEAR HAPPILY: No law forbids the two of you from wearing wedding rings and calling yourselves married. Others have done it. In some states, after a period of time, the arrangement would become a common-law marriage. However, before making a final decision to do this, you and your fiance should discuss it with a lawyer. There are certain guarantees and benefits to being legally wed, because spouses have rights of inheritance and decision-making in case of illness that unwed couples do not enjoy.