People get divorced for a variety of reasons; many times, it’s because the pair has irreconcilable differences they cannot overcome. Some people blame their divorce on the fact that they cohabitated before getting married; after all, cohabitation traditionally has been viewed as having a negative impact on relationships in California. However, recent research shows that this actually may be untrue.
For two decades, researchers have claimed that there was a negative link between cohabitating — also known as “shacking up” — and getting divorced. However, new studies emphasize that the problem isn’t necessarily with shacking up. Rather, it revolves around the age at which people decide to cohabitate.
People who decide to live together before marrying typically are younger than people who begin to live together after marrying. Specifically, those who decide to cohabitate before they are 23 years old are more likely to call it quits when it comes to their marriage. This is because younger individuals tend to be less mature and might not choose the best partners for themselves.
Whether people chose to cohabitate with their partners or not before getting married, marriage can present a wide range of challenges that aren’t simple to address. Getting a divorce sometimes seems to be a couple’s only option in California. In this case, both parties may worry about whether their desires will be met in the areas of property division and asset distribution, for example. Each person has the right to seek his or her best interests while trying to reach a solution that will satisfy both spouses in the end.
Source: cnbc.com, Best predictor of divorce? Age when couples cohabit, study says, Stephanie Hanes, March 10, 2014