More American couples are skipping the wedding and just living together. Census data show a 30 percent rise in cohabitation among unmarried couples. Most of those couples are under 35, but the Pew Research Center found that Americans over 50 are cohabiting as well. Some couples even sign agreements in advance — laying out the terms of who walks the dog or does the dishes. But how do you decide when it’s time to move in together? And how do you keep the peace when you’re sharing the same space? We talk to a couples therapist, a lawyer who advises unmarried couples and a sociologist.
Guests:
Frederick Hertz, attorney; author, “Living Together: A Legal Guide for Unmarried Couples” and “Counseling Unmarried Couples”
Amanda Jayne Miller, professor of sociology, University of Indianapolis; co-author, “Cohabitation Nation: Gender, Class, and the Remaking of Relationships”
Winifred Reilly, couples therapist; author, “It Takes One to Tango: How I Rescued My Marriage With (Almost) No Help From My Spouse — and How You Can, Too”