How Millennials are Changing Marriage

Looking back at marriage over the last 50 years, it is easy to see how the institution has changed. For example, it is no longer taboo to get a divorce, even if your family has children, and prenuptial agreements are becoming more popular. These days, with the emergence of the millennial generation, marriage is continuing to change. Let’s look at three areas where millennials are changing the face of marriage today.

They’re Getting Married Later

The number of non-married adults, who were born in the 80s and 2000s, is much higher than most experts expected. This might be because many young people are burdened with student loans and their finances are not stable, causing them to delay getting marriage.

They’re Changing Interracial and Same-Sex Unions

For example, 71 percent of millennial adults openly support same-sex marriage today. This is in contrast to 55 percent of the overall population. Also, millennials are more likely than older generations to date and marry outside their racial identity.

They’re More Likely to Sign Prenuptial Agreemens

In fact, half of lawyers polled recently stated that prenuptial agreements are more popular these days among younger couples than they have been in the past. Some believe that this is because millennials who wait to get married have more assets to protect, and they want to avoid the mistakes of their parents.

Some might argue that these changes are wise and intelligent — particularly with regard to prenuptial agreements. A prenuptial agreement is not just for people who need to protect their financial assets. It can also be viewed as an action plan for divorce, should it ever be necessary, to ensure that the dissolution of a marriage happens as quickly, cost-effectively and stress-free as possible.

Source: Wisebread, “4 Ways Millennials Are Changing Marriage,” Amanda Meadows, Nov. 30, 2016.