While signs point to divorces in a slight decline, 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. The marital dissolutions involving second marriages are even more common, skyrocketing to 60 to 70 percent. Various circumstances and spousal quirks come into play, not to mention countless attempts to fix what is broken.
For many, the inevitable outcome is couples throwing in the proverbial towel and preparing to go their separate ways.
Factors driving marital dissolutions
Cheating on a spouse accounts for between 20 and 40 percent of marriages ending. The reasons for pulling the plug continue to be fairly consistent and include the following:
- Infidelity when spouses go far outside the marriage to meet their needs, both physical and emotional
- Abuse that can take the form of psychological and physical where one spouse is living in fear and needs to take action
- Incompatibility that is usually the result of quick engagements and equally fast weddings where couples have not taken the time to get to know each other
- Poor/lack of communication is near the top of the list of divorces when spouses can’t communicate or struggle to provide full disclosure
- Lack of response to a spouse’s needs, both physical and emotional, is often the first step to the aforementioned affair
- Financial setbacks creating instability and lead to both spouses pointing fingers at the other when it comes to fault
Statistics also reveal that divorces usually occur during the first seven years of marriage. Conversely, marital satisfaction grows when spouses reach their 10th anniversary.
Divorce is a legally complex process where emotions run high. Help from a skilled family law attorney can help ease the process as soon-to-be ex-spouses start their new lives.