The Upside Of Divorce, According To The U.S. Census

Does divorce have an upside? Typically, it’s associated with financial stress and marital acrimony. Not many of those who are going through a divorce would likely have good things to say about its upside. Nonetheless, those who pursue divorce do so because they believe their marriages are no longer viable. This indicates that there must be some upside, after all.

According to new research published by the U.S. Census Bureau, laws that make it easier to divorce can improve the welfare of household members. This is true even for couples that choose to stay together. While divorce is generally difficult and often leads to less than ideal outcomes, divorce laws can play a positive role in society as a whole.

Potential benefits of divorce

According to the U.S. Census, when family laws shift property rights and provide payments directly to women after divorce, mothers have been shown to invest more in the quality of their children’s education and in education in general. They experience more leisure time increases which could lead to working more. They decrease the amount of time they spend on household chores such as cooking and cleaning.

Laws that make divorce easier to pursue can also improve the welfare of all family members by helping reduce stress (and violence) associated with marital discord. Making divorce easier reduces the costs associated with leaving an abusive marriage.

During divorce, family courts redistribute resources gained during the marriage. Women tend to have more to gain in divorce if laws are more favorable to wives. These same laws may be less favorable to husbands, but the reverse is also true when husbands are favored in divorce. The prospect of alimony, child support, and other divorce compensation increases the bargaining power of wives in divorce proceedings.

Studies show unexpected positive ripple effects 

When the law makes it easier to divorce, studies have shown that there are several positive ripple effects. These include:

• The number of marriages increases by at least 9%
• Female suicides decrease by 8% and domestic violence decreases around 30%
• Women start working more outside of the home increasing their economic power in a marriage by bringing in income that they control into the home

Divorce laws also influence the number of children within the marriage. Easier access to divorce has been shown to reduce the number of births.

In addition, laws that guarantee generous financial compensation to women upon divorce have been shown to increase first births among highly educated women. These women know that they will be compensated for lost wages which reduces the risk of leaving the labor market to have children.

Talk to an Orlando, FL Divorce Lawyer Today 

Greater Orlando Family Law represents the interests of Orlando residents who are looking to divorce. Call our Orlando family lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing key aspects of your divorce such as equitable distribution, alimony, child custody, and child support.