For Unmarried Couples, Choosing To Live Together Negatively Impacts Net Worth
Choosing to move in together is a big step in any relationship. For some it’s a symbolic next step towards greater commitment and getting married in the future, while others do it as an alternative to marriage. And while many unmarried couples pull the trigger on cohabitation due to money issues or debt, a recent study reveals doing so can bring upon serious long-term financial restraints.
Researchers from Iowa State University determined that unmarried people who lived with each other had less accumulated wealth compared to those who had never lived together before getting married. This wealth gap was shown to be much wider for people who had cohabited more than once.
“We have to embrace the fact that we are not going back to the days when everyone married at a young age and stayed married,” says lead researcher Cassandra Dorius, an assistant professor of human development and family studies at...
