Many couples file for divorce in Texas every year. According to research from multiple studies, partners who live together prior to tying the knot are actually more likely to file for divorce than those who wait until marriage to move in together. A recent study examined how the “premarital cohabitation effect” may affect a married couple’s odds of divorce in the long term.
Data was collected from United States women ages 44 and younger who were in their first marriages between 1970 to 1995. Previous research found that the odds of divorce are initially decreased for couples who resided together before marriage. However, the new study found that the odds of divorce increased for each subsequent year of being wed.
The results of this research seems to contradict what most people expect for relationships. Many assume that partners who live together prior to being wed will be more prepared for the challenges that come with marriage. However, research has consistently supported that the opposite is true.
Many couples end up filing for divorce despite their best efforts to make the marriage work. A family law attorney may be able to help a client get through the process with less stress. For example, an attorney could come up with some good negotiation tactics. Divorce mediation is one way that many couples choose to work out post-separation issues and save money on litigation costs. Mediation can provide an opportunity for both sides to sit down and negotiate issues like parenting plans, child custody and visitation as well as the division of marital property and debt.
