The age at which the average American says “I do” for the first time is higher than decades past. Now, instead of walking down the aisle shortly after high school graduation, many young adults in West Virginia are focusing on college and their careers. Although there may be some who worry about what this means for marriage, it seems to be having a positive impact on divorce. That is, those who end up getting married seem to be in it for the long haul.
A prominent sociologist recently pointed out that the drop in divorce rates has surprised most professionals. When he obtained his doctorate back in the 1970s, it was widely believed that the divorce rate would continue to climb steadily as it had been doing since the middle of the 1800s. What experts failed to predict was the shift in marriage demographics. Couples with only high school degrees are increasingly not getting married, while those who are college-educated are more likely to marry, but only after establishing themselves first.
So why are college-educated couples less likely to divorce? One of the main factors in divorce is money, and those who first earned a degree and started their career before marrying are more likely to have greater access to wealth and less to fight about. This does not mean that these couples will never argue, but that they may have less of the typical spats that can lead to something bigger.
Although the rate at which young couples divorce is lower than before, it is not at zero. Even with degrees, well-paying job and other factors, some couples in West Virginia will simply be unhappy in their marriages and ready to move on with their lives. These individuals may have more to lose in asset division, though, so they should be certain to stay on top of information regarding their finances and asset division.
