The family law attorneys from Snee, Mahoney, Lutche and Helmlinger discuss the trend regarding remarriage.
It is not exactly breaking news that divorce has become more common in today’s society. However, more people are saying “I do” after they’ve already said “I don’t.” The higher percentages of remarriages correspond with higher divorce rates. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2013, four in ten marriages included at least one partner who had been previously married.
So what? These results represent a prominent trend. Even as marriage itself has declined in the U.S., previously married people seem as willing as ever to remarry. U.S. Census statistics show that most people remarry following a divorce from a first marriage. In fact, most men and women remarry within five years of a divorce.
Recent data and records further indicate that the following factors affect remarriage:
1. Gender
Current statistics show that most divorced or widowed men are open to the idea of remarriage, but women tend to be less accepting of the idea. Among previously married men, 65% either want to remarry or are not sure. As for women, 43% of those who are divorced or widowed say they may want to remarry.
2. Age
Approximately 60 percent of the men and women in recent remarriages are 25-44 years old. One third of the men and one quarter of the woman involved were age 45 and over. The percentage of women among recently remarried couples who were age 15-24 was 9 percent compared with 5 percent for men.
3. Finances
Remarried adults generally fare better financially than their currently divorced counterparts and about as well as those in their first marriage. Home ownership is also much higher for those who are remarried.
Although divorce is a common occurrence in these times, so is remarriage. Remarriage brings its own set of legal issues. Dealing with remarriage could mean new custody arrangements and visitation schedules. Does your new spouse have children? How will you and your ex-spouse decide on parenting time with the children? Should you prepare or update estate planning documents after remarrying? An experienced attorney can assist you with the legal issues involved with remarriage and review important factors that accompany the decision to remarry.
For more information on divorce and remarriage, contact a family law attorney from Snee, Mahoney, Lutche and Helmlinger today.