As a leading Chicago divorce attorney, it’s my job to stay on top of the latest marriage trends. What is one thing I’ve learned during my tenure practicing as a Chicago divorce attorney? The only thing constant about marital trends is change. Every generation, every decade brings with it its own distinctive set of environmental circumstances, any number of which can have a major impact on the success rate of married couples. While I would never adhere to one-size-fits-all marital generalizations, keeping up with some of the trends and issues my clients find themselves facing helps me provide quality, compassionate insight as their Chicago divorce attorney.
I recently came across a marital study conducted by Pew Research Center that, ironically, doesn’t focus on marriage issues, per se; instead, this study zeroed in on a surprising lack of marriages altogether. According to this study, the number of Americans aged 25 and over, who have never been married is at an all-time high.
Pew Research Center Study Shows That Americans Are Delaying Marriage
Based on the 2012 findings of the Pew Research Center, 20% of Americans ages 25+ (roughly 42 million individuals) had never been married. To give you some perspective on this statistic, consider this: a similar study conducted in 1960 showed that just 10% of all adults in this age demographic hadn’t been married. Naturally, this upswing has had a direct impact on the average age for first-time marriages. The Pew Research Center report states that the new average age for women is 27, and for men it’s gone up to age 29.
Financial Factors Contribute To Couples Waiting To Marry
While every individual may have his/her unique reasons for waiting to get married, the report outlines one specific factor that may have had the biggest impact on this trend toward delaying marriage: finances. As an experienced Chicago divorce attorney, I have seen firsthand the type of strain and stress that financial hardship can take on any marriage. And, while it’s certainly no secret that finances have had dire effects on marriages in every decade, today’s couples face distinctive economic concerns that other generations may not have had to worry about.
Large student loans and major recessions are just some of the money woes faced by today’s Americans. Many couples believe that waiting until they have financial security can help get their union off to a better start. Of course, not all financial considerations are negative; today, both men and women make up America’s workforce. This can increase the odds that one, or even both, parties in any couple will want to wait to solidify their career presence before moving forward with their nuptials. No matter what the reasons for each individual studied, it’s important to note that their choice is more about external factors as opposed to an inherent anti-marriage stance. According to Pew statistics, of the individuals polled, 53% stated that they are amenable to marrying eventually.
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