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Women’s earnings and divorce

On Behalf of | May 5, 2019 | Family Law |

Most married people in Wisconsin would likely acknowledge that marriage can be hard work, despite its potential to be very fulfilling as well. What makes some marriages thrive and last a lifetime and what makes other marriages fall apart and end in divorce is often not clear. The factors that contribute to a divorce may vary from couple to couple but some researchers are looking at data that may provide insight about some trends in this arena.

MarketWatch recently reported that heterosexual marriages in which the wives out earn their husbands may have a higher risk of ending in divorce. One Harvard study even went so far as to indicate that if a man does not work a full-time job, the couple’s overall risk of getting divorced increases by as much as 33%.

It is interesting to think that in today’s society when women are routinely holding more positions of power in professional settings that their ability to earn high salaries should hurt their chances of remaining happily married. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics even indicates that 38% of married households are financially led by the wives as the primary or sole earners.

When it comes to dating couples, the evidence remains the same as it shows a lower chance of making it to the altar to get married if the woman earns more than the man. The most stable relationships may well be those in which the man and the woman earn roughly the same amount and equally contribute to their lifestyle.

 

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