Does Shacking Up Lead to More Divorce?

Once upon a time, moving in with your loved one prior to marriage signaled a divorce down the line.

But it looks like things may be a little different now. It doesn’t look like pre-marital cohabition has necessarily sealed your fate for divorce, according to the New York Daily News.

The Daily News points to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in which engaged couples and co-habiting couples had as much success in their marriage as those who had not lived together prior to marriage. Some of these couples made it to the 15-year mark in marriage.

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But research was not so positive about non-engaged couples who were living together before getting hitched. Those couples often didn’t hit the 10- or 15-year marks at all.

Those weren’t the only things to consider in divorce, the study said.

For starters, 20 years appeared to be the magic number for first marriages. Nearly half of all first marriages fizzle out after 20 years.

Education levels also come into play, when looking at the longevity of a marriage. The study shows that women and men with bachelor’s degrees tend to marry later in life. But they also stay married for a minimum of 20 years.

Race affects how long and successful a marriage is, according to the study. The study showed that Asian woman marry less often and stay married longer. Nearly 70% percent of Asian women were still in their first marriage and most stayed married for at least 20 years.

Compare this to black women, 37% percent of whom were not in their first marriage after 20 years. Also, 62% of Hispanic men were still in their first marriage at 20 years.

Interesting statistics.

Related Resources:

• Money and Divorce: 4 Financial Points to Ponder (FindLaw’s Houston Family Law Blog)
• FindLaw’s Guide to Alimony (FindLaw)
• Find a Houston Divorce Lawyer (FindLaw)