Marriage on the Decline

The family dynamics in this country are changing. Married couples are making up less than half of all households for the first time ever. So what’s keeping people form taking a walk down the aisle?

Some says its money others say they just aren’t ready for marriage as early as previous generations. The trend is even changing legislation because more children are being born out of wedlock. The census says married couples today make up less than half of American households. Although those same numbers indicate those who do choose to get married are staying married longer as divorce is on a slow decline.

For some young Houston couples they say marriage is something they take very seriously but for them its not something they are planning on, so until then they’re choosing to live together.

Family attorneys are also noticing this trend. “For my parents’ generation , it would have been unthinkable to move in together without being married. For my generation, not unthinkable but unusual,” says Houston family law attorney Cindy Diggs. “For the present generation that’s what they do, they move in together. In fact, have noticed a sharp increase in the last few years of more paternity cases that my office handles. “

And despite the decline of married couples in households the census shows more couples that get married are staying together for at least ten years.

Cindy Diggs is the attorney-in-charge of the Houston office of Holmes, Diggs & Eames. She has practiced law for over 25 years, and is Board Certified in Family Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.