Planning for a Non-Traditional Family (Which Is Probably Yours)
What do you think of when you hear the word “family”? In the past, many would think of the historical “traditional” family, with opposite-sex parents who have only been married to each other and have one or more healthy and thriving children who are under age 18 that are biologically related to both parents and living at home. In reality, though, families in the U.S. are far more diverse and complex, and the traditional family is not as prevalent as we might think.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s reports that only 19% of family households would be considered part of a traditional family, defined as a married couple living with children. The remaining family households include 7% single parents with children, 30% married couples without children living at home, and 44% with non-family living arrangements of various kinds. Adding these figures all up reveals the vast majority of Americans are now part of “non-traditional” family structures.
