Should you live together before marriage?

While marriage has traditionally been associated with moving in together and sharing a home with your spouse post-wedding, more and more couples are making the decision to live together before they get married. This premarital cohabitation has become increasingly common in the U.S., where cohabitation has increased at the same time as marriage rates have decreased; in other countries throughout Europe, however, marriage remains a more stable option than premarital cohabitation.

The benefits of living together before marriage.

Now for what we know you’ve been waiting for—all the reasons to celebrate and say, “Yes! We live together!”

Living together before marriage can be advantageous because:

You will have more opportunities to learn intimate details about your partner before marrying them.

You’ll learn to live together in a way that is healthy and productive by sharing household chores and moments of domesticity.

You will gain insight into whether or not you and your partner could be compatible when living together in the long term.

You can save money by splitting utility bills and rent.

At the very least, living with your partner before getting married means that you can glimpse a bit of marriage before you commit!

Re-thinking cohabitation.

For some couples, on the other hand, moving in together may not always be the right choice. Why?

It’s possible that living together will make you feel obligated to get married. In some countries or families, living together prior to marriage may be frowned upon.

Living with your partner does not mean benefits such as health insurance or social security will transfer to them, unlike when you are married.

Cohabitants cannot file taxes jointly, while one of the benefits of marriage is that spouses can save money by filing their taxes together.

Choosing to live together before a strong relationship has formed may result in disagreements or reveal incompatibilities you don’t yet have the ability to work through together.

Thinking it through.

Sometimes, it’s impossible to come up with the answer on your own. Perhaps you and your partner have differing views, or maybe both of you are stuck. When you’re not sure how to proceed, we can’t overstate the importance of getting a third-party opinion from a professional Online Counselor or Life Coach.

These Experts have had extensive training in order to better understand how to guide their Clients in the right direction based on their individual needs. Online counseling is a fantastic, affordable, and convenient way to ensure that you and your partner make the decisions that will be best for you as you determine whether or not you should cohabitate before tying the knot.

No matter your views, preferences, or final decision, these Counselors and Life Coaches are here to help! Browse through our list of Online Counselors and Online Life Coaches and message them for free.