What You May Not Know About Divorce Statistics And Trends

When people get married, they generally know that they have a roughly 50:50 chance of staying together statistically speaking.  But they are so in love that they cannot imagine that their marriage will be one of the lucky ones. What do statistics and trends reveal about marriage and divorce in America?

Trends of Interest 

Over 750,000 divorces take place each year in this country. Understanding the reasons and ramifications of this fact requires a look at at some interesting data:

• The divorce rate in America, in fact, is on the decline. Also worth noting is the fact that more people are delaying getting married these days, but the downward trend for splits is quite reassuring, unless you happen to be over 50.  For that group, divorce has been steadily rising since 1990, and is now at least double what it was three decades ago.
• By far the lion’s share of divorces—about two-thirds—are initiated by dissatisfied wives. Perhaps that’s why women are reportedly considerably more happy in the years following divorce than are men.
• Someone’s chances of divorce are impacted by numerous influences, including age, education levels, religious commitment, and geography:
  • Getting married after age 25 has a positive impact on the length of a marriage;
  • A college education tends to provide more stability in marriage, largely due to more stable economics;
  • Religious commitment results in a benefit to marriages;
  • The divorce rate varies greatly by state.
• Seven in ten children whose parents divorced feel that divorce was a positive solution to family problems.
• Divorce rises after the holidays, with more occurring from January to March than at any other time of the year.
• Marriages in the United States last just over eight years on average, with one of those years spent on the divorce process.
• Those who have a friend who is divorced, are more likely to get divorced as well (to the tune of 75 percent more likely).
• Those who live together prior to marriage are more likely to divorce within 20 years than those who don’t cohabitate first.
• Married couples tend to stick together longer than do couples who choose to simply cohabitate without the marriage contract.
• Incompatibility leads the list of reasons that couples cite for their failing marriages.
• More than half of all single parents were once married.
• The divorce rate in this country is higher than in other developed nations, including Germany, China, Canada, France,  Italy, and Mexico

When Divorce is the Right Step for You 

The reasons for your divorce,  your age, religion, or income are inconsequential when it comes down to the bottom line; if you’re ready for a divorce, you need a Boca Raton divorce attorney who’s willing to go the rounds on behalf of you and your interests.  At WiseLieberman, we believe you should settle for nothing less.  Schedule a confidential consultation in our office today.