Comparison and Contrast on Marriage vs. Cohabitation, Essay Example

There are many similarities in being married and ‘living together’. The first being the fact of two people sharing the same household. This means most likely they will share in the financial obligations such as utilities, rent, food, and whatever other expenses are necessary for their livelihood. There are also decisions which must be made jointly if the relationship is to remain a healthy one. Small decisions such as “should we have a family pet?” or large decisions like “what type of stove should we get now that ours is broken?” are important to both parties.  If children are involved, the relationship changes perspective but there are still similarities. Both partners in the relationship will have the children at some point in time, so discipline issues are something that should be taken into account.

The differences between marriage and living together, however, are many. First, you often have the benefits of employer provided health insurance. Couples involved in non-married relationships often do not have this option. Also, if the couple decides at some point they would rather live separately it is much more burdensome on both parties due to the divorce proceedings which can be emotionally and financially draining. Involve children in the marriage and things become more complex. As long as there is a happy scenario, things are fine. If separation happens, being married will bring about legal issues in child custody manners while partners who have lived together outside of wedlock will most likely not have to go through such legal measures unless they have been cohabitating for an extended length of time.

Choosing to be married or live with your partner is a big decision in the life of a relationship that should be made with a great deal of though, maturity on both sides, and weighing both pros and cons. It is very much a personal matter.