: How to Choose between getting Married or just Living together
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(475 Words)
Should you get married or just live together? This is a question pondered by many couples around the globe. There are many factors that go into such a decision, and the right path for one couple isn’t necessarily the right path for another. The following are tips on how to choose.
Do you have religious reasons for wanting to get married?
For many people, the choice to get married is obvious because they are very religious. In many religions you are considered to be “living in sin” if you are not joined in holy matrimony. If you do not have strong religious beliefs in this area, then you might be more open to living together.
How happy would you be under each scenario?
Different studies have shown that happiness is increased by a happy marriage. Some might choose to get married based on these statistics.
Do you need the commitment (or are you afraid of it)?
You should think about the type of commitment you want to make. For many marriage feels like the ultimate commitment. If they feel that they want to give this to the other person or they want the other person to give it to them then they might more strongly consider marriage. If instead they are afraid of commitment then they may choose just to live together.
Do you have something against marriage?
Some people just do not want to get married. Perhaps they have been married before and they feel like it “jinxed” them. Perhaps they feel like it is just a societal practice and they want to be different.
Are there family reasons to get married?
Perhaps your father would be just appalled at the thought of you living with someone else without that ring, and you do not want to disappoint him. Some people feel pressured by their family or friends to do a certain behavior.
Do you want children soon?
Many people who want children want to be married. They may just be more comfortable being in that state when they have kids.
Financial and other benefits
There are different benefits enjoyed by one’s spouse. For instance, you can together get some tax breaks that can be advantageous. There are also laws about property and such in the case of the other’s death. Of course, some might want to particularly avoid marriage because of financial issues.
Of course this is a decision that many couples constantly reevaluate. Many couples want to live together first to see how they will get along in such close quarters. Based on how well that goes they might decide to get married. One great way to choose is to think about all of the above factors and then make a pro/con list. You should talk about what you really want with your significant other, and try to come to an agreement.
Updated On: 09/17/2010 Published On: 09/17/2010 Article ViewerClose
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