Couples in Virginia may be interested to learn that the divorce rate has reached nearly a four-decade low. According to data from the National Center for Family & Marriage Research in Bowling Green, marriage in 2015 was up from the previous year and was at its highest rate since 2009.
The divorce rate was at its highest in 1980 when there were nearly 23 divorces per 1,000 married women over 15. By 2015, that number had dropped to 16.9. This was a 0.7 decrease from the divorce rate in 2014. However, experts say that these figures do not necessarily indicate that any one marriage is more likely to succeed or fail, and the likelihood of divorce for any particular marriage remains about 50/50.
Researchers cannot pinpoint exactly why the divorce rate is on the decline; however, several ideas have been put forth. One is that although the marriage rate has climbed, it is still not as common as it used to be. More people are cohabiting instead of getting married or simply staying single. Demographics also show that divorce varies widely among income levels and geographic locations. People with higher incomes are less likely to get divorced.
A person who is contemplating divorce might be worried about how they will support themselves or if they will be able to maintain child custody. An individual might want to begin the divorce process by consulting an attorney and discussing their financial and family situation. For example, if the client is the sole breadwinner, they may be required to support the spouse until that person is able to return to work.
