Union Formation in Later Life: Economic Determinants of Cohabitation and Remarriage Among Older Adults

Abstract

This study builds on Becker's and Oppenheimer's theories of union formation to examine the economic determinants of marriage and cohabitation during older adulthood. Based on the 1998-2006 Health and Retirement Study and a sample of previously married Americans who are at least 50 years old, results show that wealthier older adults, regardless of gender, are more likely to repartner than stay single. Wealth has no discernable effect on the likelihood of remarrying versus cohabiting. Among the oldest men, the positive associations between wealth and repartnering are entirely due to housing assets. Results suggest that Oppenheimer's theory of marriage timing may be more applicable to later-life union formation than Becker's independence hypothesis. Further, economic disadvantage does not appear to characterize later-life cohabitation, unlike cohabitation during young adulthood. These findings help illuminate the union formation process during older adulthood and are timely considering demographic changes reshaping the American population.

Subjective Well-Being and Partnership Dynamics; Are Same-Sex Relationships Different

“…For instance, among youngsters, cohabitation is usually seen as a trial marriage, while older individuals may think of cohabitation as a long-term substitute for marriage King and Scott, 2005;Vespa, 2012;Wright and Brown, 2017).…”

“…Later in life, cohabitation operates as a long-term alternative to marriage. Therefore, the positive well-being effects of cohabitation may be comparable to that of marriage for the older cohort King and Scott, 2005;Vespa, 2012;Wright and Brown, 2017).…”

Subjective Well-Being and Partnership Dynamics: Are Same-Sex Relationships Different?

“…For instance, among youngsters, cohabitation is usually seen as a trial marriage, while older individuals may think of cohabitation as a long-term substitute for marriage King and Scott, 2005;Vespa, 2012;Wright and Brown, 2017).…”

“…Later in life, cohabitation operates as a long-term alternative to marriage. Therefore, the positive well-being effects of cohabitation may be comparable to that of marriage for the older cohort King and Scott, 2005;Vespa, 2012;Wright and Brown, 2017).…”

Married Once, Twice, and Three or More Times: Data From the American Community Survey

“…Contradictory findings on the relationship between education and remarriage could also 208 C. Siordia be explained by additional confounding factors, such as age. For example, Vespa (2012) found that education is associated with a lower likelihood of remarriage among women aged 50 to 64, yet a higher likelihood for women aged 65 and older. The exact relationship between education and multiple marriages remains unclear and requires further analysis.…”