Articles Posted in Separation

According to a recent report in Men’s Health magazine, couples living in Charlotte are among the most likely to be doomed to divorce (#6 Nationally). The report, which ranked the top 100 U.S. cities with the highest rates of divorce, considered multiple factors, including: the rate of failed marriages, the stringency of state divorce laws, the percentage of the population who had divorced, and the number of licensed marriage and family therapists in the cities.

Divorce rates were highest in Cheyenne (Wyoming), Las Vegas, Nevada, and Billings (Montana), followed closely by Reno, Little Rock, Charlotte, and Tulsa. Divorces were least likely to occur in two southern cities: Columbia, South Carolina and El Paso, Texas. However, Riverside, California and Providence, Rhode Island, did not fall far behind in the rankings of the top cities of marital bliss.

According to statistics from 2007, which was the last year for which divorce ratios were calculated, the states of Nevada, Arkansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wyoming have the highest overall divorce rates in the country.

As recently reported by MSNBC, the traditional “how we met” stories told by couples may be an accurate predictor of whether marital strife lies ahead. Studies show that every couple’s back story reveals a great deal about the present state of their relationship, depending on how each individual spouse tells the story.

Spouses who are in happy marriages often recalled the earlier years of their relationship fondly and nostalgically, even when the actual circumstances of the marriage were not happy, such as when the couple was struggling financially. Conversely, unhappy couples tended to recall their past times together negatively, regardless of whether the circumstances of the early years were positive.

Researchers indicate that “how we met” stories are clearly predictive of future behavior because couples’ perceptions shift when they become dissatisfied with their marriages. Those who are happy in their relationships tend to remember the earlier years with the same optimism, whereas those who are in a current state of discontent find themselves more easily recalling the negative aspects of the earlier years, rather than the good times.

As recently reported by The Washington Post, some married couples are now deciding to wait out the economic downturn rather than suffer the financial consequences of divorce. Alternatively, many spouses who desire to go their separate ways are turning to different options, such as living together while considering themselves technically separated. This, of course, raises a legal issue of whether the spouses are “separated” under the law.

Couples who initiate divorce proceedings during these tough economic times are faced with the traditional legal, household, and support expenses; however, those who have been hit hard by the economic downturn are finding it increasingly difficult to divide into two households. This inability to pay the expenses of maintaining two households translates into the unfortunate reality that many couples face today: staying in an unhappy marriage in order to avoid greater financial stress and complications.

Although studies indicate that the national divorce rate has decreased slightly in the past few years, this new information indicates that more couples may be staying together simply because they cannot afford to be apart.

As reported by CNNMoney.com according to a recent study released by the Pew Research Center, the traditional financial roles in American homes are changing. This study of married households suggests that 22% of men were making less money than their wives in 2007.

Comparatively, only 4% of men made less money than their wives in 1970. The report largely attributes this dramatic shift in marital income to a similar shift in education patterns. More women than ever before are pursuing an education in order to work outside the home.

A recent New York Times’ article discussed this new role reversal and its effect on modern marriages and the selection of marriage partners.