With everyone buzzing about Pew Research Center's findings which show that only 51% of all adults in the United States are married, people are wondering why this is happening. New study might offer an answer as researchers found that the fear of divorce is the reason why couples aren't tying the knot.

Research done by demographers discovered that among cohabitating couples, or those who are living in together, two-thirds of the respondents said that concerns about social, legal, emotional, and economic consequences of a possible divorce is what's keeping them from getting married.

The study, authored by Sharon Sassler, Cornell professor of policy analysis and management, and Cornell doctoral student in the field of development sociology Dela Kusi-Appouh, showed that majority of its respondents, 67% of them, expressed their worry about divorce.

However, despite the concerns of getting divorce and everything associated with it, middle-class participants spoke more favorably about getting married and only viewed living in together as a natural stepping stone to marriage compared to their working-class counterparts.

In the working class, lower-income women to be specific, disproportionately expressed their doubts about marriage, fearing that it could be hard to exit if things go wrong or it would lead to additional domestic responsibilities, with only few benefits.

Indeed, with all the consequences that people find, it seems that couples are opting for other living arrangements instead of getting married, like cohabitation. Add to that the number of those who are going through single parenthood. In fact, because people are more and more interested in just living in together, the share of married adults will drop to below half within a few years.

And because it seems like cohabitating is the trend now, why bother getting married? For the cynics and for those who are about to get married, tying the knot has huge benefits.

Marriage is linked to health and economic benefits, specifically, have better physical health, psychological well-being, and lower mortality risk, according to FamilyFacts.org. Not only that, but married couples are also reported to have greater sexual satisfaction.

And aside from married people having the benefit of a reduced risk of depression and problems with alcohol, getting married can actually increase the probability of moving out of a poor neighborhood.

But in order to stay married or to have a successful married life, it is advised that couples cohabit first and then get married, and to communicate with each other, Buzzle.com reported. In addition, couples should only marry when they get to the ages between 23 and 27, as it has shown that there is a greater chance of staying together than couples who get married in their teens.