Why do people cohabit and not marry? It is a decision that entails many motives. Mistrust of marriage is increasing, as a result of very high divorce levels, which causes many to be cautious about entering such a legally binding relationship. Support for the religious views of marriage and many traditional moral standards are declining. There is more acceptance of unwed motherhood, homosexuality, premarital sex and divorce(baker, 1996). One-sixth of never-married cohabiting couples have a child that was born since they began living together.This represents a significant component of unmarried births (about a quarter) that are not born into single-parent households (Bumpass and Sweet, 1989a).
             Advantages for living in a cohabitation and as a temporary or permanent solution to marriage include the following. Marriage is much easier to end than a cohabiting relationship than a marriage. About 40% of cohabiting unions in the United States break up without the couple getting married, and this tends to occur rather quickly (Bumpass and Sweet, 1989a).This happens quickly because they cohabiting couples have a much easier time deciding financial subjects etc. The ease at enduring a cohabitation. Almost three times as many cohabiters think that their 'freedom to do what they want' would be worse in a marriage than at present (Sweet, Bumpass, & Call, 1988-89). cohabitation acts as a transition into marriage (Manning, 1995 : 198) Couples can be sure they are compatible before marriage, it makes it possible to share living expenses, it requires less personal commitment than marriage, it allows each partner to be more independent (Sweet, Bumpass, & Call, 1988-89).
             Cohabiting will effect future relationships in the following ways. Those who cohabit less than one year are most likely to marry, 1 to 2.9 years is in between, 3+ years of cohabitation is least likely to marry (NSHF, 1987-88). we know that cohabi
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