Financial Issues and Relationship Outcomes Among Cohabiting Individuals

Keywords

cohabitation, finances, gender, marriage, union dissolution

Abstract

Few studies have examined how financial relationship issues are associated with cohabiting individuals' risk of union dissolution or marriage. Competing‐risks Cox regressions using the cohabiting data in the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 483) found that financial disagreements predicted union dissolution, whereas disagreements about housework, spending time together, sex, and parents did not. Perceived unfairness in finances also predicted union dissolution. Although perceived housework unfairness also positively predicted dissolution, this effect was moderated by gender. Interestingly, neither financial issues nor the other normative problems predicted the likelihood of marriage. These findings suggest that the relationship problems associated with financial issues are particularly salient to cohabiting individuals' decision to end their unions.

Original Publication Citation

Dew, J. P. (2011). Financial issues and relationship outcomes among cohabiting individuals. Family Relations, 60, 178–190.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2011-03-09

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/7326

Publisher

Family Relations

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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