Recent Blog Posts
Can Your Home State Sway Your Chances of Divorce?
Is it possible that the state in which we live can impact our chances of divorce?
Many U.S. citizens may credit late journalist Tim Russert and his coverage of the Bush vs. Gore 2000 presidential election for providing us with a visual color by number representation of the electoral college. However, in all factuality, the first political map separating the states dates back to the 1880 presidential election, Garfield vs. Hancock.
Historian Susan Schulten discovered a census-based map printed to a 1883 atlas that clearly illustrates how the country was politically and theoretically segregated by “red state” and “blue state” long before the birth of animated network election coverage. Perhaps even more interesting, separating our nation as “red state” and “blue state” as a method to define religious and political viewpoints does not coincide with our previous notions of the interior division of our country.
Does Living Together before Marriage Raise Divorce Risk?
For the past few decades, social scientists have pointed to couples living together before marriage as a factor that increases the divorce risk. Study after study has concluded that same result, but none of these studies ever pinpointed a reason why. However, a recent study suggests that all the former studies were actually looking at the incorrect variable to draw their conclusions from.
According to the study, which was sponsored by Council on Contemporary Families and conducted at the University of North Carolina, it is not whether or not a couple lives together before marriage that affects their chance of divorce. It is, however, the age at which a couple actually begins to live together—whether they are married or not. That factor, said researchers, is the variable that affects the divorce risk.
More Seniors Divorcing because of Medical Expenses
Much has been written about the increase in gray divorce—divorce between spouses who are 50 years old or older. In fact, according to a study conducted by researchers at Bowling Green State University, the rate of gray divorce has doubled in the past twenty years. In 1990, only one in 10 divorces involved spouses who were over 50. In 2009, that number jumped to one in four divorces. There were over 600,000 gray divorces in 2009 and the Bowling Green study projected that number will be over 800,000 gray divorces in 2030.
There are many reasons why older people divorce. However, there is one surprising reason that appears to be emerging more frequently. It has nothing to do with infidelity, incompatibility or irreconcilable differences. Instead, many older couples are divorcing because of the high cost of medical care and long-term care costs.
Big Ten Universities Revisit Happy Wife, Happy Life Study
The results of a recent marital research study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family, further confirms that the key to a happy marriage is as simple as keeping the wife happy and content. Rutgers University, in collaboration with the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, revisited this marital landscape with a new twist. This time, the research team opted to consider the feelings of both spouses. The results indicate that the happier the wife is within the marriage the happier the husband is, no matter the negative marital connotations of the paternal persuasion.
Dating after Divorce: Leaving the Past Behind
Your divorce is history. You have thanked your experienced divorce attorney for his or her support and fundamental knowledge of the Illinois Marriage and Marriage Dissolution Act (750 ILCS 5), and now it is now time for you to move on.
After the customary grieving period, you now feel as if you could put on your dancing shoes, kick up a little dust, and get back out there. However, the decision to date after divorce is one of the most stressful situations a newly single person can endure.
Even though you may have convinced yourself that you are ready to rejoin the single life, the odds of finding a suitor in the grocery aisle may be slim to none. Is joining an online dating service in your future?
New Study Examines Who is Asking for Divorce and Why
A new study by the Austin Institute reveals that women are more likely than men to be unhappy in their marriage. The study, “Divorce in America,” also examined the reasons why people file for divorce. Researchers compiled data from the “Relationships in America” survey project that the institute recently conducted. There were 15,000 American adults between the ages of 18 to 60 who were surveyed. Of that group, nearly 4,000 were divorced. According to a statement released by the institute, data was used to assess “how people think about divorce, who wants out of marriages more, and why they want out.”
Twenty percent of the women surveyed said they had considered divorcing their spouse within the past year. Only 13 percent of men said they had considered leaving their marriage. Overall, 13 percent of married respondents had actually discussed separating with their spouse within the past year but had yet to separate.
Study Shows Children of Divorce Linked to Compulsive Buying as Adults
A study published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs found childhood stress may be the cause of compulsive behavior habits in adulthood. In fact, experiencing parents divorcing was cited as one of the major stressors children can experience. The root of this behavior, cites lead researcher Dr. George P. Moschis of Georgetown University, is that when a child is dealing with upheaval and stress in the home, they look for comfort and satisfaction away from the home.
Marital Reconciliation in Lieu of Divorce
It is not unusual for a couple to cancel a pending divorce to try and rekindle their relationship, even after a divorce attorney has been retained and papers have been drawn. According to a 2011 study, there is an increased level of desire among couples in regards to wanting a marriage to survive, especially when children involved. The study, “Interest in Marital Reconciliation Among Divorcing Parents”, concluded that 45 percent of the 2,500 couples surveyed favored possible reconciliation. Therefore, if you are currently separated from your spouse but are still unsure if divorce is the best option for your marriage, it may be beneficial to determine exactly where you stand before making any life altering decisions.
Suggestions for Reentering the Job Market following Divorce
There is no doubt that women significantly contribute to today’s workforce. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau, the American workforce is comprised of 127.1 million women and is only expected to increase. To further break down the demographic, single mothers, with children under 18 years of age, comprised 74.2 percent of mothers in the workforce in 2013. Married mothers ranked at 67.8 percent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics further defines working single mothers as women who never married or those working due to an absent spouse caused by separation, divorce or death.
How Do Step-Relatives Affect Life Quality?
According to the National Stepfamily Resource Center, between 50 to 60 percent of first marriages end in divorce. Approximately 75 percent of those who divorce will remarry, and 65 percent of those couples will have children from prior marriages. In fact, a survey conducted by Pew Research Center about stepfamilies and blended families found that almost half of all adults in this country have at least one step relative.
In the study, the center surveyed 2,691 adults. Forty-two percent of those participating reported having a step-sibling, stepparent or stepchild. The research team asked participants a series of questions and compared the answers of those who had blended families to those who did not.
