According to the author of “The Changing American Family”, the divorce rate “began to decline in 1996 and is now just above 40% for the first weddings” (Angier) . The author of an article on marriage for The Atlantic, Gillian White, agrees with both Kimmel and Angier. White uses the results of a recent Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor survey, in which seventy-four percent of participants “believe marriage is still relevant and leads to a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life” (White) . This means that marriage is still a valuable institution even if its traditions have changed in recent decades. Survey results show that more than sixty percent of participants agree that "ages between 25 and 30 are optimal for getting married" (White). One of the reasons for delaying marriage is the economic situation of the country and the uncertainty of financial security once married. The rising cost of living makes it difficult for a person to live alone, imagine it with someone else. Nonetheless, Americans are still eager “to have stable, long-lasting relationships and families”