Loved the episode. One thing that would be interesting is talking to someone married 20-25 years and someone married 40+.
I got married at 25, didn't have kids till 29 and that made a big difference. The major pressures of marriage didn't start till then. We both had good jobs and that makes a huge difference.
We've now been married 20 years (yes, I am offering myself to be interviewed
) and there have been plenty of ups and downs, but I'm really happy being married and with the person I chose as my, "significant other."
If you can get past the high single digits (7-10 years), I think you start seeing those intangible benefits that you often hear about marriage. Just before 10 it becomes, hmmm am I really only going to have sex with this person?
And there are NO financial benefit to marriage. You pay more taxes, not less.
Perhaps the perceived credit risk is a plus, but good credit is good credit.