Minnesota residents that are considering getting married should know that there might be certain risk factors that can increase their odds of getting a divorce. These criteria are not direct causes of divorce, nor should they be used to assume that a divorce will definitely occur. However, it is important to understand how such factors may make the hard work needed to make a marriage succeed even more difficult.
Individuals who have been previously divorced have a lower chance of their successive marriages succeeding. Data from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that almost 35 percent of first marriages and 40 percent of second ones are over within a decade.
Not completing college is another factor that increases a person’s likelihood of getting a divorce. The United States Department of Health and Human Services released a National Health Statistics report in 2012 that revealed that female and male college graduates’ chances of remaining in a marriage for at least 20 years were 78 percent and 65 percent respectively. For women and men who advanced no further than high school, those rates dropped to 41 percent and 47 percent. For women and men who attended college but didn’t earn degrees, the chances of being in a marriage that lasted 20 years were 49 percent and 54 percent.
A divorce attorney may assist clients by negotiating desirable settlement terms for property division, child custody, spousal support or child support. A lawyer also may evaluate the circumstances of a client’s separation and suggest an uncontested divorce. Depending on the situation, the attorney may suggest using mediation to arrive at mutually agreed upon terms regarding divorce issues. Litigation also may be necessary to ensure that a client’s rights and interests are protected.