Divorce Rate Plummets As More Americans Shack Up Instead of Getting Married

More Americans are taking "til death do us part" seriously. According to the recently released Rutgers University National Marriage Project the number of divorces is declining. But the lower divorce rate is largely because couples are postponing, choosing not to, or are legally unable to get married. Like Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham, and Elton John and David Furnish, these 11 million unmarried couples are in committed relationships and sharing financial obligations, but aren't entitled to the 1,140 federal laws that apply to married couples.

"Although unmarried couples don't receive federal protection like married couples, documents can be developed to mirror some of those protections, not just if you break up, but in the event of the death or incapacitation of one of the partners" says Debra Neiman, CFP® and co-author of Money Without Matrimony. "From creating a durable power of attorney to making sure jointly held property is correctly titled, it takes work for unmarried couples to protect themselves financially, but it's well worth the effort."

According to Current Population Reports the average American will spend the majority of their life unmarried and those people will likely partner, live together and enter financial commitments with another person. Neiman, with co-author Sheryl Garrett, CFP® caution these couples to do the necessary paperwork and planning while the relationship is good.

"No matter how temporary or permanent the relationship, it's easier making financial decisions about the future of your relationship while you're still in love," says Garrett. "Because there are no laws to protect finances for unmarried couples ? barring states that recognize common law marriages ? planning today makes a possible break up tomorrow easier, financially speaking."

And planning is not just for romantically involved couples.

"Whether romantically involved, or not, the issues are the same," says Neiman. "Everything needs to be in writing including who pays what bills, how rent will be paid and who gets what if the two of you part ways."

Al Martin is a freelance writer covering real estate, personal finance and investing topics.

In The News:

---

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Eloping to Vegas? Why Not Lower Manhattan?
New York Times, United States - Jan 7, 2009
“With these new digs, there might just be a new world wedding capital.� The city clerk’s office issued 66600 marriage licenses 2007 and performed about ...
Manhattan's new Marriage Bureau earns wows as a place to say your vows New York Daily News
NY hears wedding bells, aims to compete with Vegas The Associated Press
Wedding Bells Ring In NYC Marriage Bureau WNYC
Downtown Express - Gothamistall 254 news articles

Boston Globe
‘Bride Wars’ is a failed marriage | 1 ½ stars
Kansas City Star, MO - 12 hours ago
And their mutual friends will have to decide which wedding to attend. All would be well if only one of them would cancel (or if they would agree to a double ...
Video: Ann Hathaway's Stellar Year CBS
'Bride Wars' stars Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are funny allies Los Angeles Times
Two Weddings and a Furor New York Times
Tampa Tribune - Boston Globeall 757 news articles

New York Times
Movie review: Cliches nag 'Not Easily Broken'
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 5 hours ago
The opening wedding scene in the new Bill Duke film, "Not Easily Broken" is so overwrought and cliched, it's akin to sitting down with a promising novel, ...
Not Easily Broken ( ** ) AHN
Movie Review: ‘Not Easily Broken’ is a romantic soap opera that ... Providence Journal
» Inspirational drama anything but 'Broken' Chicago Daily Herald
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Kansas City Starall 77 news articles

FOR FAMILIES: A guide for parents to Jan. 9 and earlier releases
Chicago Tribune, United States - 10 hours ago
By Roger Moore | Tribune Newspapers What it's about: Best friends become dueling brides when they both book the wedding they've always dreamed of in the ...

Wedding war: Las Vegas versus New York
KVBC, NV - 8 hours ago
The city has renovated it marriage bureau and even built a 24000-square-foot wedding complex with the hope of becoming the most popular wedding site. ...

Wearing white and eating cake, Brides magazine turns 75
The Canadian Press, NEW YORK - 20 hours ago
"The magazine is realistic about how people's lives are today, but still the focus is how to have a successful wedding and start a healthy marriage," says ...

New York Magazine
City to Make Your Shotgun Marriage Just That Much Nicer
New York Magazine,  USA - Jan 7, 2009
Photo: Getty Images Perhaps sensing the economic downturn (and having eventually watched the Sex and the City movie), the city spruced up its civil-wedding ...

MLive.com
Bay County gets older, refrains from marriage, likes guns ...
MLive.com, MI - 18 hours ago
Luczak said economics could be partly to blame, as young couples struggling to get a foothold in life may be putting off the expense of a wedding.

MSNBC
Couple goes from divorce to 'I Do Again'
MSNBC - 12 hours ago
Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs, founders of Hope Marriage Ministries, recount the slow destruction of their relationship, which ended in divorce. ...

Former First Lady Cornelia Wallace Dies At 69
NBC13.com, AL - 4 hours ago
Just 16 months after their wedding Governor Wallace was shot. The assassination attempt left Wallace paralyzed. Fifty-four days later, he left the hospital ...

marriage wedding - Google News

Let Them Eat Cake -- Just Not at Your Wedding

It's a fact, however odd it seems, that some brides don't like cake -- and don't want one at their wedding reception. Others like cake just fine,... Read More

Organizing The Wedding Menu

Deciding the menu is a pretty simple affair. Once you've chosen your menu items, you can move on to organizing the wedding menu. By organizing I mean... Read More

Wedding Dresses - How to Buy Dreamy Wedding Gowns Online

Wedding dresses are literally the icing on the cake on every bride's wedding day. You can find perfect wedding gowns online, or simply brainstorm which style of... Read More

Men?s Moissanite Wedding Rings To Beat Other Gifts Any Day

Whoever said diamonds are women's best friends, surely missed on mentioning men! Believe it or not, men too go bonkers over these sparks. When it comes to... Read More

Get Wedding Gifts Youll Enjoy -- Creating Your Wedding Registry

Receiving wedding gifts is a whole lot more fun when the gifts are of your choice. It is a good idea to create a wedding registry to... Read More

Wedding Favors: A Brief History

For many centuries wedding favors have been a part of traditional wedding ceremonies, across a wide range of cultures. Initially wedding favors were an extravagance at celebrations... Read More

Choosing The Right Music For Your Wedding

OverviewI suppose a typical Christian wedding in the UK can be divided into 4 main sections and these are:The ceremonyPre-meal drinksWedding breakfastEvening receptionI suppose about half of... Read More

Displaying Your Wedding Bouquet

The great day has come and gone, and you are now happily married. You now want to showcase your silk bouquet as a memory of the wonderful... Read More

Marriage Missing its Spark?

If the fires of passion in your marriage have been reduced nearly to embers, then you are not alone. One of the most common problems that can... Read More

Wedding Videos... What To Do

Bless the bride... and God help the video maker. True. Let us start with grim warnings of doom and disaster. Making a video of a wedding is... Read More

Focus On What Is Important ? Your Wedding Disc Jockey Choice

Your true love got down on his knees and asked you to marry him. Barely able to get the words out, you say "I Will". That is... Read More

Planning Your Wedding Reception

Great deals can be found when you know how much money you are working with. It really doesn't matter how small your budget is for the reception... Read More

Save the Date Etiquette: Everything You Need To Know

Save the Date Cards are announcements that inform your guests of your future wedding in order to keep your special day free. They are essential in the... Read More

Wedding Flowers: How It Emulates Your Personality

Your wedding day, what is presumed to be the happiest day and the start of your new life. The excitement of all the preparations, and so many... Read More

The Beautiful Bride To Be ? Beauty Tips For The Big Day

It goes without saying that we all want to look our best for the big day. So preparation is the key. Take care of your skin, hair... Read More

Unique Beach Wedding Themes

If you are considering a beach wedding, the ideas are as endless as your imagination!One thing about choosing a beach wedding theme is that it allows you... Read More

Getting Married? What You Should Do With Your Checking Accounts and Credit Cards

Marriage is a wonderful thing, but planning the wedding is a difficult task. The coming together leaves many things as an afterthought to the wedding. Each has... Read More

Create A Beautifull Wedding Album With A Simple And Fun Way

Hi If you are getting married or have a Bar Bat Mitzvah or special event then you should read this article. Many times people who have an... Read More

Cheating Wives - Play with Your Lives!

Many wives cheat on their husbands. This could be due to the fact that the husband does not give much of his time to his wife. The... Read More

Wedding Rings - How to Choose a Perfect Ring

Selecting a wedding ring isn't as easy as it looks. You are going to wear your ring for the rest of your life, so it should be... Read More

Wedding Colors

Is it to be a summer wedding or winter wedding? Do you have a particular favourite color? Does the bridegroom have a pathalogical dislike for a certain... Read More

Wedding Speeches Made Easy: Wedding Speech or Best Mans Speech Tips

Have you ever had to give a wedding speech? As the groom or best man?Do you remember that feeling? A knot in the stomach, sweaty palms and... Read More

Mens Wedding Bands ? A Whole World Of Choice

Mens wedding bands are an emerging phenomenon. Whilst women have worn engagement and wedding rings for years, men are just starting to catch up.Mens wedding bands are... Read More

Choosing a Wedding Date ?- When You?re Feeling Indecisive

He ? or she ? asked, and you answered in the affirmative! Now's the time to bask in the romance, and enjoy the first phase of your... Read More

Who Wants to Be Rich?

Well you may not become a billionaire or even a millionaire, but research shows that marriage helps couples and individuals generate more income and wealth than singles,... Read More

How to Avoid Destructive Dynamics in Your Marriage

A dynamic that prevents real connection in a relationship is when a couple engage in controlled/controlling behaviour. This is when one person tries to control the other,... Read More