Shocking Facts About U.S. Divorces

An article recently posted by Business Insider challenges previously held notions about divorces in this country. Though many still believe that 50 percent of all marriages end up in divorce, this is not true today. Although there were over 700,000 U.S. annulments and divorces in 2018, the divorce rate seems to be dropping. That year, there were 2.9 divorces for every 1,000 people, compared to 2015, when it was 3.1.

Most Americans feel that divorce is better than remaining in an unhappy marriage, and 67 percent believe that divorcing is better for the children involved. Researchers also noted that 54 percent of divorced women and 30 percent of divorced men said they did not wish to marry again. Additionally, race played an important role in statistics. Less than one-third of black females in their early 40s were in stable marriages, and those aged 50 to 59 were identified as the group that most often got divorced. About half of Hispanic and white women in their early 40s had stable marriages, and the group least likely divorce were Asian females between the ages of 25 and 29.

Divorced Parents

Many divorced parents with child support agreements do not receive what they are entitled to. Less than half receive the full amount, over 30 percent of payments are evaded, and one-third of the payments are not made. This is worse for single parents who have financial difficulties. Poverty rates for custodial-father families were around 17 percent and 29 percent for custodial-mother families.

The article also described a recent Census survey, which showed that around 50 percent of all black children in this country lived in single-parent households. Compared to white children, the percentage of black children living with a single custodial parent was twice as high.

Young females without a father present had weakened physical health, fewer educational prospects, and more troubled relationships than those living with intact families. A Wake Forest University professor added that these young women may also be more likely to end up divorced.

Additional Statistics

Pew Social Trends reported that children raised in high-conflict homes with parents who stayed married were more likely to divorce later in life than children in homes where their high-conflict parents divorced. The New York Post stated that over 30 percent of divorce filings included Facebook, which indicates that spouses use social media to meet new partners and posts can be used later in divorce court. Other topics studied were mental disorders associated with divorce after age 50, which led to depression and a 45 percent lower standard of living for women and a 21 percent drop for men. The article also claimed that the most common months of the year for filling for divorce were March and August, compared to November and December being the least likely.

Bucks County Divorce Lawyers at Freedman & Lorry, P.C. Help Clients Throughout the Divorce Process

Every divorce is different, and the experienced Bucks County divorce lawyers at Freedman & Lorry, P.C. understand your needs. For a free evaluation, call us at 888-999-1962 or complete our online form. Located in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Pinehurst, North Carolina, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania.