On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Unmarried Couples on Monday, April 8, 2013.
More and more couples are living together without being married. While some of these unmarried couples do go on to get married one day, there are plenty others who have children and continue living together without the legally binding agreement of marriage.
According to researchers, who surveyed 12,279 women between the ages of 15 and 44, three out of four women will end up living with a partner without being married to that person before the age of 30. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report states that 40 percent of those cohabitating partners will end up getting married within three years, while a third of the relationships will continue on without marriage.
Of course, there will also be breakups, with 27 percent of those living together before marriage reporting a split. In cases where children are involved, these unmarried parents can face the same types of issues as married parents regarding child support and child custody.
In terms of cohabitation and parenting, pregnancy is rather common with 20 percent of couples ending up pregnant within the first year of living together.
When looking at why cohabitation is becoming increasingly more popular, some point to the money factor. Weddings can be expensive and some just do not want to deal with the hassle. Others may simply like the idea of trying to live together first to see how the relationship goes before jumping into marriage.
Whatever the reasons are behind a couple’s choice to cohabitate, non-married parents with children should seek out legal resources as issues surrounding child custody and child support can become quite confusing.
To learn more, visit our Missouri custody issues for non-married parents page.
Source: Bloomberg, “Unmarried Couples Living Together Is New U.S. Norm,” Elizabeth Lopatto, April 3, 2013
