, Columnist
A Tip for Unmarried Couples: Romance Has a Bottom Line
Splitting costs 50-50 isn't the right answer for most couples who live together.
Who’s paying for what?
Photographer: tiburonstudios via Canva
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Cohabiting before marriage is becoming more common, with the number of unmarried partners living together in the US nearly tripling from 1996 to 2017. That was before potential isolation during a pandemic followed by wild inflation and skyrocketing rent made it even more practical to move in with a partner prior to saying “I do.”
The shift raises a question: How should unmarried, cohabitating couples navigate shared — but not exactly joint — finances?