Relationship and singlehood trajectories during the transition to older adulthood over the past 40 years

Using data from the Health and Retirement Study spanning four decades of historical time (i.e., birth cohorts ranging from 1921-1964), we documented heterogeneity in relationship and singlehood trajectories across the transition into older adulthood (ages 55-70) and its covariates (cohort, sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment). Nine relationship trajectory classes were identified based on current marital/relationship status. Most classes entailed no transitions. Class membership varied across historical time, sex, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment. Recent cohorts were more likely to be spending their beginning golden years single, and this was especially pronounced for women, those racialized as Black, and those with less education.