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Do certain factors prevent divorce?

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2019 | Divorce, Firm News |

Virtually no one gets married with the intention of splitting up later on, but the reality is that a significant number of marriages do not last. Many divorces in Massachusetts have common factors, such as financial problems or significant levels of stress. But what about common factors among marriages that do not end in divorce?

The American Community Survey from 2017 identified the five states with the lowest divorce rates. Those five states — which did not include Massachusetts — had fewer than 10 divorce individuals per 1,000 married people. The states with the highest divorce rates — again which did not include Massachusetts — had closer to 17 divorced people for every 1,000 married individuals. One of the biggest differences between the states with the lowest and highest divorce rates? Stress levels were significantly lower in the states with fewer divorces.

Aside from lower stress levels, these states also had less student loan debt than average. A report from Student Loan Hero in 2018 found that one out of every eight divorces are caused at least in part by student loans. Having fewer loans takes a huge weight off some couples’ shoulders.

The American Psychological Association reports that anywhere from 40 to 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Many couples in Massachusetts might try to position their marriage in a positive manner by reducing their stress levels and avoiding taking on unnecessary debt, but even this is not guarantee that a marriage will last. Because of this, it is generally a good idea for couples to consider signing prenuptial agreements before saying “I do.” Not only can these agreements protect personal assets and individual assets in a divorce, they can also give couples the opportunity to discuss otherwise difficult topics.