America’s divorce rate may be dropping, but that’s not at all times excellent news. Here’s what to know about America’s divorce rate.
Annually in the United States, more than two million marriages occur. While these are happy days for most couples, not every marriage leads to happily ever after.
In fact, every year more than 700,000 pairs filed for divorce. So if your marriage does not work out, you are certainly in good company.
However, if you want to actually understand the divorce process, you need to look at the divorce rate in America. In that case, you have come to the right place!
Read on to find out everything you need to know about America’s divorce rate.
What is the Drop in the Divorce Rate in America Truly Means?
Statistics show that the divorce rate in America is declining. However, this doesn’t mean that more relationships develop.
In fact, it may have more to do with the indisputable fact that fewer couples are choosing to marry.
This decline occurred after divorce rates peaked in the 1980s, which makes the divorce rates we see today look much lower as compared. However, the divorce rate in the US today is still twice as high as it was in the 1960s.
Interestingly, certain factors appear to play a large role in divorce statistics. To get a better idea of what you can expect for your wedding, let’s have a look at some of them.
Certain Factors Affect Divorce Rates
Several things can affect the divorce rate, including:
- Race and ethnicity of partner
- The importance of religion to one or both members of the marriage
- Whether the spouse has a family history of divorce or not
- If one or both partners have an anxiety disorder
- Does the couple have kids and When their kids are born
These factors can all make a couple more likely to divorce. For example, a robust religious background lowers the divorce rate for most couples.
Divorce rates are also higher for people entering second or third marriages. In the first marriage, divorce rate sits at 29%. However, in the second marriage, this increased to 60% perhaps because the couple is already open to the idea of divorce.
Geography can even play a role in divorce. Currently, South Dakota and Oklahoma have them highest divorce rate per state in the US.
Experiencing Divorce
Every personal divorce can take a different direction.
For example, some cases need to be resolved in divorce court if the two partners cannot agree on a settlement. In other cases, hiring a divorce lawyer will suffice file for divorce.
The majority of divorces in the US are resolved as no fault divorces. Reasons for this include:
- Irreconcilable differences
- incompatibility
- Irreversible damage to marriage
In some cases, often when fraud or illegality results in a divorce, one partner will file for divorce by mistake. Filing for divorce when one person is at fault is more complicated but can result in a better deal for the innocent.
The Divorce Rate Is Not What It Seems
As you can see, while America’s divorce rate is falling, it does not paint the entire picture for those going through a divorce. To understand divorce better, you need to take a closer look at each individual’s circumstances.
For more brilliant articles on navigating your relationship, look at the rest of our relationship blog!
