American legal advice website, Findlaw.com, offers advice for couples who have just ended an engagement on the difficult question of whether the engagement ring should be returned. According to the website, with an estimated 15 - 20% of engagements broken off annually, it's a question that's more common than people might think.
Laws in America regarding the return of engagement rings vary by state. Some states incorporate a fault-based approach, while other states do not. Some state laws look at an engagement ring as a gift, while others consider it a conditional gift dependent on a future event (a wedding) taking place.
Giving back an engagement ring is made even more complex by changing social and economic factors. More couples cohabit before they get married, which often leads to the joint purchase of an engagement ring, as well as such assets as furniture and other household items. And because many engagement rings are purchased with a credit card or financed through the jewellery store, the giver could still be liable for paying off the purchase long after the engagement has been broken.
Findlaw.com quotes wedding and relationships website, The Knot, which advises that: "If the bride calls off the wedding and her ring was a gift from the groom, it's appropriate for her to return it. If the groom calls it off, the bride may still want to return the ring because she doesn't want to be reminded of their failed engagement. If he was a real jerk though, we can't argue against taking it to a pawnshop."
