All couples know that financial pressures are the leading cause of relationship tension. For decades, sociologists have been discussing economic insecurity in terms of divorce. Couples who are struggling to purchase homes or situate themselves tend to forestall marriage and having children until they are settled down. Now, you have pressures with the housing market, rising costs of living, and the increased cost of gasoline all placing economic pressures on American families.
Nonetheless, the same folks who occupy think tanks on how to reduce divorce are the very opposite of those who occupy think tanks on how to increase the minimum wage. Nonetheless, a recent study seems to indicate that their interests are aligned. A UCLA study reports that raising the minimum wage by $1 can lead to as much as a 15% reduction in the number of divorces among lower-income couples.
Can Low Income Couples Get the Help They Need?
Low-income couples do get help, but it is usually not the help they need. Initiatives to reduce divorce rates are often found in “Bible Belt” states. These initiatives focus on communication within the marriage and other factors. They do not focus on economic relief. However, if a family does not have enough money to pay expenses, learning how to communicate better will not mitigate their circumstances. They will simply be more effective at expressing themselves when it comes to financial pressure.
Nonetheless, Congress has earmarked millions of dollars to help struggling couples communicate better. Over the past 20 years, we have spent over $1 billion to teach coping and communication skills to couples. This new study seems to suggest that the money would have been better spent avoiding the problems requiring communication than communicating more effectively concerning financial problems that are often outside of their control. Hence, studies that have analyzed the effectiveness of such measures generally point out that the money was not well spent.
However, the same study that suggested the divorce rate could be reduced by raising the minimum wage also indicated that poorer couples would defer marriage longer than they otherwise would. It is not entirely clear what the data is saying, but the report indicates that marriages that are entered into later tend to be stronger moving forward and end in divorce less often.
Financial Problems and Divorce
Financial problems often both precede and follow divorce. Divorce costs money and expenses are higher post-divorce than they were pre-divorce. Nonetheless, many recent divorcees report that their finances are actually better after divorce. This may have more to do with the emotional baggage created by financial problems within the marriage than the actuality of more money. It also has to do with the fact that many couples file for bankruptcy during or after divorce. It becomes a way to wipe the slate clean and begin afresh.
Talk to a Chicago Divorce Attorney Today
If you need representation for a divorce or child support matter in Cook County, Glasgow & Olsson is here to help. When you need an attorney, experience matters. Contact us today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.