They say the divorce rate is 1/2 in america...

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
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Where does this figure come from, what does it really mean? Is this per year? Per decade? Per couple?? Like 1/2 the couples each year divorce? Or 1/2 of all married couples WILL get divorced? Why do I have a feeling that the figure will go from 1/2 to much higher once all of the married old people die off?
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
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Not sure about the details relating to the figure, but I'd say its high because people are impulsive. They'll date for a few months, then get married, realize that living together isn't all its cracked up to be, and then want a divorce.

Also, supposedly, Americans, and Europeans, are getting married at older and older ages. Late 20s, and in some cases, mid 30s. Personally though, I've see a number of people get married between 18 and 22, so I'm not sure how accurate that figure is.
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
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Half of the marriages end in divorce.... open ended... even if the marriages last 80 years an they get divorced then....

 

jlbenedict

Banned
Jul 10, 2005
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I believe also the statistics show that of the "1 out of 2" divorce rate, the reason being "financial issues" tops the list.


So, the cliffs for short:

1) Don't get married
2) If you do, get a prenup
3) No joint checking, savings, mortgages, car loans, etc.
 

chambersc

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2005
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I'm waiting as long as I can to not get married because I'm covered under insurance as a dependent 'till 25. Likewise with her.
 

Fullmetal Chocobo

Moderator<br>Distributed Computing
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May 13, 2003
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Monogamy is no longer practiced in the US. It was officially changed to "serial monogamy" some time ago...
 

Rastus

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Originally posted by: dxkj
Half of the marriages end in divorce.... open ended... even if the marriages last 80 years an they get divorced then....
The other half end in death. Pick your poison.

 

Strk

Lifer
Nov 23, 2003
10,197
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Originally posted by: Bateluer
Not sure about the details relating to the figure, but I'd say its high because people are impulsive. They'll date for a few months, then get married, realize that living together isn't all its cracked up to be, and then want a divorce.

Also, supposedly, Americans, and Europeans, are getting married at older and older ages. Late 20s, and in some cases, mid 30s. Personally though, I've see a number of people get married between 18 and 22, so I'm not sure how accurate that figure is.

And that age difference has a huge affect on the likelihood of divorces occurring. I'd say take a look at the states with a higher median age for marriage (MA, for instance) and compare it to states with a significantly lower rate (pick any bible belt state). MA has less than half the divorce rate.
 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
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Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Not sure about the details relating to the figure, but I'd say its high because people are impulsive. They'll date for a few months, then get married, realize that living together isn't all its cracked up to be, and then want a divorce.

Also, supposedly, Americans, and Europeans, are getting married at older and older ages. Late 20s, and in some cases, mid 30s. Personally though, I've see a number of people get married between 18 and 22, so I'm not sure how accurate that figure is.

And that age difference has a huge affect on the likelihood of divorces occurring. I'd say take a look at the states with a higher median age for marriage (MA, for instance) and compare it to states with a significantly lower rate (pick any bible belt state). MA has less than half the divorce rate.

Well from what I've seen, the marriages with larger age difference last longer than the ones where the partners are within a few years of each other...
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
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Oct 30, 2000
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Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Not sure about the details relating to the figure, but I'd say its high because people are impulsive. They'll date for a few months, then get married, realize that living together isn't all its cracked up to be, and then want a divorce.

Also, supposedly, Americans, and Europeans, are getting married at older and older ages. Late 20s, and in some cases, mid 30s. Personally though, I've see a number of people get married between 18 and 22, so I'm not sure how accurate that figure is.

And that age difference has a huge affect on the likelihood of divorces occurring. I'd say take a look at the states with a higher median age for marriage (MA, for instance) and compare it to states with a significantly lower rate (pick any bible belt state). MA has less than half the divorce rate.

Well from what I've seen, the marriages with larger age difference last longer than the ones where the partners are within a few years of each other...

Pushing 40 years and a 6 years age difference between my wife and myself (she is the elder)

 

RKS

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,824
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Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I believe also the statistics show that of the "1 out of 2" divorce rate, the reason being "financial issues" tops the list.


So, the cliffs for short:

1) Don't get married
2) If you do, get a prenup
3) No joint checking, savings, mortgages, car loans, etc.

We have been married for 6 years (dated 7)
Didn't get a pre-nup (she had all the money)
Everything is in OUR names including the joint-checking but we still have seperarate, small secondary savings accounts for personal purchases.

We have some major disagreements but we both know that divorce based on financial issues will never be an option since post-divorce everyone is worse off financially.

But then again I know a little about Ohio family law. ;)

 

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
24,036
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I believe this figure also includes multiple divorces. And another statistic is that those who have been divorced before are more likely to be divorced again. So that skews the numbers a little.
 

Strk

Lifer
Nov 23, 2003
10,197
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Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Not sure about the details relating to the figure, but I'd say its high because people are impulsive. They'll date for a few months, then get married, realize that living together isn't all its cracked up to be, and then want a divorce.

Also, supposedly, Americans, and Europeans, are getting married at older and older ages. Late 20s, and in some cases, mid 30s. Personally though, I've see a number of people get married between 18 and 22, so I'm not sure how accurate that figure is.

And that age difference has a huge affect on the likelihood of divorces occurring. I'd say take a look at the states with a higher median age for marriage (MA, for instance) and compare it to states with a significantly lower rate (pick any bible belt state). MA has less than half the divorce rate.

Well from what I've seen, the marriages with larger age difference last longer than the ones where the partners are within a few years of each other...

I don't mean age difference in the couple, but median age of those who get married (getting married in their early 20s vs mid 20s)
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,391
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Just keep in mind that many people marry at an early age. Usually they don't have enough life experience, etc and divorce because they weren't ready and are too lazy to stick with it. There are also those who marry because of a pregnency... Finally, there are people who have been married and divorced multiple times....these people are relationship failures that REALLY mess with the stats.

 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,449
126
Keep in mind that it's an average of all marriages, not all people. So, folks like Hollywood celebs who change spouses more often than I change shoes bring down the average for everyone else.
 

SpecialEd

Platinum Member
Jul 18, 2001
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On a side note:

%50 divorce rate in the US does not mean that every marriage has a %50 chance of ending in divorce.

If two people love each other and understand the huge commitment and sacrifice a marriage requires, then divorce is unlikely.

If two people trivialize marriage, then divorce is on the horizon.
 

TravisT

Golden Member
Sep 6, 2002
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Actually we JUST talked about this in sociology class I am taking. The 50% is actually innaccurate. The way that they come up with that is how many got married in the last year, and how many people got divorced in the last year. They are totally avoiding the idea that many people who got married more than a year ago are getting divorces.

The actual margin is somewhere around 17%, which is still significant.