Colorado residents may be interested in some of the latest data on the divorce rate in the United States. While many have cited a statistic that around half of marriages end in divorce, trends over the past several decades show signs that the percentage of couples divorcing could be on the decline.
The report states that, in contrast to the high divorce rate in the 1970s and early 1980s, 70 percent of marriages that began in the 1990s have reached their 15th anniversary, and the divorce rate for those married in the 2000s may be even lower. The 1970s and 1980s are increasingly being seen as more of an anomaly than an indication of an ongoing trend.
The article attributes this low divorce rate to a few factors. One is the later age that many couples are entering marriage, which has risen since the 1950s. In the 1950s, women got married around age 20, and men got married around age 23. These numbers are now closer to 26 for women and 27 for men. Another important factor may be the rise of feminism in the 1970s. This movement changed marriage from more of an economic benefit to a more equal relationship based on love and shared home and financial responsibility that it generally is today.
When a marriage does break down, it can be a very difficult and emotionally draining time for a spouse. A family law attorney may be able to help guide such a spouse through the process. The attorney may also be useful in negotiating with the other party on issues such as child support, spousal maintenance, and marital property division.
Source: The Huffington Post, "The Truth About The Divorce Rate Is Surprisingly Optimistic", Brittany Wong, December 02, 2014
Tags: Divorce, child support, property division
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