Divorce Is Changing

At this point in time, everyone has heard the claim that 50% of all marriages end in divorce. The statistic was popularized in the 1980s when divorce rates historically skyrocketed to 47-53%.

However, this statistic is no longer accurate, and the face of divorce is changing due to several important factors.

1. Divorce Has Been Normalized. Over the last few decades, divorce has gone from something that few could imagine possible to a very real part of many families’ lives. A lot of those children from the 1980’s divorce boom are now grown adults and they have no illusions when it comes to the possibility of divorce. Growing up in a culture where divorce has been a very visible element of life has led to people thinking twice about when to get married and how to prepare for marriage.
2. Shared Living Spaces. As divorce became a normalized concept, so too did the idea of sharing living spaces with unmarried partners. Now, people are moving in with their partners before marriage, testing the waters of how well they actually live together before taking the plunge. By living together, couples begin to test their compatibility in close quarters, learning things about each other that might become deal-breakers before they’re actually married.
3. Millennials. The decline in the divorce rate has been pinned to Millennials, who are getting married at later ages than previous generations. In doing so, they wait until they are more established in their careers and financially stable, leading to fewer divorce risks in the marriage.

(Graph via Bloomberg)

The face of marriage is changing and in turn, so is divorce. Nevertheless, if you are seeking to file for a divorce, Shah & Kishore can help. We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve a smooth and peaceful separation.