In the past, cohabitation was prevalent among the working class, but it has spread to include a wide range of people. Some people participate in cohabitation because it is financially advantageous for the partners. Some people take part in cohabitation as a prelude to marriage. Some people take part in cohabitation because they like the idea more than that of a legal marriage. (McDaniel & Tepperman, 2011) Cohabitation is also referred to as a common law union; has many of the same legal implications as a marriage. Someone would be considered common law after two years. Cohabitation is considered a less stable form of union than legal marriage. There are fewer advantages to cohabitation compared to marriage, such as; less responsibility towards the other person, especially during a crisis, there is less involvement with the extended family and also rates of domestic violence are higher. But many people prefer this form of union to legal marriage. Rates of people in a common-law marriage increased dramatically between 2001 and 2006, increasing by 18.9%. (McDaniel and Tepperman,