Most of us know that divorce is common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 53% of marriages have faced separation or divorce within 20 years. And while every marriage is different, the reason for divorce tends to be predictable. In this post, we’ll discuss the top causes of divorce in the United States and what you can expect if you’re considering a divorce from your spouse.

Let’s dive in.

The 6 Most Common Reasons for Divorce

What happens after the “I Dos” to cause a marriage to go south? These are six of the most common culprits:

1. Infidelity

Cheating is an incredibly common cause of divorce in the United States. In today’s digital world, the avenues for cheating are everywhere: social media, dating apps, professional networking sites, and more. Unfortunately making it the Number 1 reason for divorce today.

According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, about 15% of married women and 25% of married men have had affairs. When infidelity happens, the betrayal is large enough that most marriages cannot endure the loss of trust associated with it.

Unfortunately, there is no way to “affair-proof” a relationship since people cheat for various reasons. Sometimes spouses cheat to escape to find physical intimacy, sometimes cheating is due to a lack of communication, sometimes affairs are emotional in nature, and sometimes people simply cheat because the behavior is compulsive. Regardless of how affairs begin, however, they can easily end a marriage.

2. Financial disagreements

While many couples argue over money, finances can quickly become a marriage-killer when one spouse is secretive, controlling, or disregarding the other’s wishes.

In some cases, a marriage may encounter trouble when one spouse makes more than the other, and inequality ensues. These reasons for divorce are common and can be very painful. When spouses divorce over finances, the proceedings can be especially contentious and emotionally charged.

3. Addiction

Addiction is a significant issue in any relationship. In a marriage, however, addiction can be crippling. Addiction hijacks a person’s personality, morals, and priorities and can quickly wreak havoc on an entire family. Unless the addicted partner seeks help, their spouse may eventually decide that enough is enough.

4. Deaths in the family

In some cases, extraordinary situations like the death of a parent, child, or sibling can send a person into a tailspin and become reasons for divorce. When these things happen, marriages suffer, and the things that bind couples together come under stress.

These situations can be incredibly difficult to navigate, and even the strongest marriages can become vulnerable in their wake.

5. Incompatibility

People and situations can change a lot over ten years and often change drastically over twenty or thirty. In some cases, people simply grow apart throughout a long marriage.

Couples may find that they no longer have anything in common after the kids are grown and gone. Or that they no longer align on core priorities, like where they want to live or how to spend retirement. In some cases, people are incompatible from the beginning of the relationship, but they don’t discover that until the relationship is tested down the road.

6. Irreconcilable differences

This is what most people cite in their divorce documents. The definition of irreconcilable differences looks different from couple to couple.

Generally, though, it means that the relationship has come up against too many insurmountable challenges. And that one or both parties are unhappy enough to believe there is no hope of working it out. To say a marriage has broken due to irreconcilable differences is a very personal decision, and the line is up to each individual, not their families, friends, or society at large.

No matter what your reason for divorce may be, it can be a difficult time. Having the support & care of friends and family is important. As is hiring an experienced and compassionate Divorce Attorney.

Considering Divorce? Hire a Divorce Lawyer to Help

Divorce is a challenging & emotional experience. Navigating divorce requires the help of a skilled attorney. Here at MGM Law, our Pensacola-based divorce attorneys work with couples to help them navigate the next phase of life. Whether your divorce is contentious or collaborative, our team will partner with you to protect your interests and ensure you never look back with regret.

Ready to learn more? Contact us today.