614-241-2174There was a time not so long ago when Ohio couples who lived together without the benefit of wedlock were subject to a certain stigma. Although some hold beliefs to the contrary, a strong majority of adults are now of the opinion that living together before marriage is a good idea, and most indicate they have done so themselves. However, recent studies reveal that individuals who cohabitate before getting married run a greater risk of divorce than those who live apart until after the wedding.
In what has been termed the premarital cohabitation effect, research experts report that couples who do not first live together have a higher incidence of divorce in the first year of marriage, perhaps due to the shock of adjustment. However, after the first year, the divorce rates for couples who previously cohabitated are higher. In fact, for those who first lived together with someone other than their ultimate marriage partners, the divorce rate was even higher.
In related studies involving children, the research supports the conclusion that in every measurable way, children fare better when their parents are married. While the evidence indicates that most children born to a single parent will one day live in a two-adult household, they remain less stable even when the other adult is the biological parent.
In whatever manner people become involved in a marriage, if there comes a time when that union no longer makes sense, there are important legal divorce issues to consider. A divorce lawyer can offer counsel and help craft an end-of-marriage plan that makes sense for all the parties to be able to begin a new life.