My bf was burned bad in his divorce. he says losing a half a million dollars was worth it but that he will never combine finances with someone again.
I was burned emotionally in a marriage AND financially so I can relate to his concerns. My XAH and I had a decent nest egg, equity in our home, and solid retirement savings already. yes, I got half but it was HALF of what truly was jointly there to spend in the future. It's a hard pill to swallow but both my bf and I feel that the cost was worth it to have the life we have today.
Dandy, I've thought about broaching a commitment ceremony idea with him eventually, especially if the kids start pushing us to marry. His youngest will often make reference to me being her 'stepmom' one day when 'you and daddy get married'. At some point we need to figure out something to include the kids on but also to let them know that we're committed to a future together as a family.