Many people in Maryland have probably heard the popular notion that 50 percent of all marriages will end in divorce. While this high rate may have been accurate in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the divorce rates of that era appear to have been an anomaly, as they have been steadily declining ever since then.
Studies have revealed that 70 percent of all marriages beginning in the 1990s reached their 15th year. The apparent rates of divorce are shaping up to be even lower for people who married in the 2000s. If the statistical declines remain steady, it is estimated that two-thirds of all marriages will never end in divorce.
The declining divorce rates appear to be rooted in a few social factors. The feminist movement led to more equality for women, allowing a greater number of them to enter the workforce while also equalizing the power structure within marital relationships. Couples are thus more likely to share responsibilities and to have two incomes, leading to reduced overall levels of marital stress. People are also waiting until they are older to marry, allowing a greater maturity level and a resulting lower divorce rate for those who do wait.
Despite the declining divorce rate, some couples will of course still want to divorce. Sometimes communication between spouses deteriorates to such an extent that the marriage is simply not salvageable. In such cases, those wanting a divorce will need to be able to divide the marital property fairly, disentangle their finances and come to an agreement regarding support and child custody. While some couples are able to agree on all of these issues independently, other people may need some assistance from a family law attorney who has experience in these matters.
Source: The Huffington Post, “The Truth About The Divorce Rate Is Surprisingly Optimistic“, Brittany Wong, December 02, 2014
