Men have been walking away from marriage for years, with many deciding the financial and legal risks simply aren't worth it.

So what happens when men decide they can have a relationship without signing a marriage contract?

Apparently, government starts looking at cohabitation.

The UK government is considering major reforms that could give unmarried partners new financial claims after a relationship ends, including potential property adjustments, lump-sum payments, pension sharing and, in exceptional circumstances, maintenance.

And unlike marriage, you wouldn't necessarily have to sign anything to enter the proposed framework.

In this video, I break down what the UK government is actually proposing, who its own documents say these protections are intended to help, and why I think lawmakers are completely misreading how men will respond.

Because if men are already reluctant to marry because of the legal and financial risks, expanding some of those risks to cohabitation probably isn't going to convince them to commit.

It may accomplish exactly the opposite.

No ring required.