A recent government study says half of first marriages end in divorce in 20 years, but does living together before getting married affect your chances for a successful marriage? A marriage survey of 22,000 people suggests that cohabitation before marriage does not weaken your chances, even though that was the notion in the past.
According to a story at USNews.com, only about ten percent of US couples moved in together prior to getting married in the 1960s. In todays society, around 60 percent of couples live together before tying the knot.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and their researchers found that couples who lived together before marriage and were engaged were as likely to have lasting marriages than those who had not lived together. However, if the couples lived together and were not engaged, their chances for a lasting marriage fell by about ten percent.
Richard Settersten Jr., an Oregon State University Professor of human development and family science, said that living together before marriage is a different experience for different people. For some people, cohabitation is a trial marriage that might end up in marriage. Young people put off marriage, because they are pursuing a college education and a career.
When you are planning to file for divorce or already going through one, the first thing on your mind might not be if your chances for a lasting marriage had been better with a different premarital living arrangement. Divorces can get complicated and very stressful, so it is good to have a lawyer with a lot of experience in the field. We have over three decades worth of experience in family law, so if you want a knowledgeable divorce and family law attorney, contact our Naperville attorneys today.