Layout 1

Marriage and Family Life: The EarlyYears

Legal Implications

Cohabitingcouplesandmarriedcouples
facemajorlegaldifferences.Marriageisa
legalarrangement,withspecificlaws
regardingthejoiningtogetherofproperty
anddebt.Unlessthereisaprenuptial
agreementspecifyingthedistributionof
propertyanddebt,eachpartnerinthe
marriagemaybecomelegallyresponsiblefor
allassets,income,anddebtbroughtintothe
marriage.
Cohabitingcouplesmaynothavesuch
legalfooting,sotheyaremorelikelytokeep
theirfinancesseparateandnotsharefiscal
decisions.Cohabitingcouplessometimes
retainpersonalownershipof propertyand
debt,makingitiseasierforthemtosplitup.
Lawsregulatethedivisionof propertyand
debtwhenamarriedcouplesplits.Some
stateshavenolawsforcohabitingcouples
whodecidetoseparate.
Itmaynotbelegallyadvantageoustolive
togetherwithoutmarriage.Incertainstates,
cohabitingcouplesarenoteligiblefor
jointlyheldhealthinsurance,tax
advantages,andotherbenefits.Thus,their
livingexpensesmaybehigher.Unlessthere
isalivingwillorotherlegaldocument
specifyingresponsibility,cohabiting
partnersmaynotbeconsidered“nextof
kin”inmedicalandotherimportant
decisions.
Another major differencebetween
marriageandcohabitation involves
children.Any children born toa woman

whoismarriedarethefinancialandlegal

responsibility of both thewifeandthe

husbandin themarriage,unlessthe

husbandisproven not tobethebiological

father.In a cohabitingrelationship,any

children born aretheresponsibility of the

woman alone,unlesstheman isfoundto

bethebiologicalfather.

Marriage Myths

Asahusbandandwifeestablishanew

identityasamarriedcouple,theyarelikely

tohaveunrealisticexpectations.Marital

illusions,whichfeedonculturaltrends,

turnintomarital“disillusions”whenreality

fallsshortof expectations.Inthechapter

ondating,welookedatsometypicaldating

myths.Mythssurroundmarriageaswell.

Thesemythsmayleadtodisenchantment,

especiallyintheearlyyearsof marriage

(adaptedfromPopenoe,2002).

Myth 1: Marriage benefits men much more

than women

This myth was based on studies of

psychological well-being and was then

applied to marriage (Waite,2001).The

truth is both men and women benefit

about equally from marriage.Married

people live happier,healthier,wealthier,

and longer lives than non-married

individuals (Waite & Gallagher,2001).