Divorce Rate Decreasing in 2015?

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in DuPage County divorce lawyer

It is no secret that nearly half of American marriages end in divorce, at least according to oft-cited statistics. The Center for Disease Control reports that the average marriage rate in the U.S. is 6.8 per 1,000 total people, and the divorce rate was 3.6 in the same number of people. Illinois actually had one of the lowest divorce rates in the country in 2011, at only 2.6 per 1,000 people. Nevada, Oklahoma, and West Virginia had the highest divorce rates in the county, with over 5.2 per 1,000 people. Yet according to many sources, the divorce rate in the U.S. may actually be on the decline in 2015. The reasons as to why may be surprising.

The first is a sign of our times: less people are getting married to begin with. According to research from the Pew Center, only 51 percent of Americans were married in 2011. This is a significant decrease from the 72 percent who were married in 1960. Some researchers suggest the reason for this is because marriage does not seem like the only option in today’s modern world: with more women working outside the home and less relying on a husband to take care of them, marriage rates will fall. The average age of marriage is also increasing — it has long been true that the risk of divorce decreases as the age of marriage increases. Another factor is socioeconomic. The more educated that spouses are, the less likely they are to divorce.

Yet these statistics do not necessarily give the whole picture. Just because a couple is not married does not mean that their long-term relationship is any less painful or financially complicated to end. In fact, often if the couple is not married, it can be even more difficult than divorce because there are not the same legal protections allowed married couples.

If you or someone you know is considering divorce, the most important step is to seek legal counsel. Do not go through it alone. Contact an experienced  Aurora family law attorney today.