People in Maryland may have seen an interesting article about the often-quoted figure that half of all marriages end in divorce. While it seems easy to quote and sounds believable, statistical analysis shows that this is not the case and probably never has been in history. In fact, the divorce rate across the United States seems to be dropping since the economic downturn that began in 2007, so 50% is a figure that has even less merit today.
Oddly enough, though, there is no one single accepted or preferred methodology when it comes to calculating the number of marriages that end in divorce, so depending on who you ask, the figure could fluctuate. Another problem is the lack of reliable data, which has made tracking the outcome of every divorce across state lines and the passing of many years extremely difficult.
On its face, the “half of all marriages end in divorce” myth seems believable, especially to those who have been through, or know a friend or family member who has gone through a divorce. Divorce may not happen all the time, but it surely may seem like it. Divorce is a major event in a person’s life, and the divorce process consumes great amounts of time, energy and emotion. This is especially true of people who don’t handle the legal aspects of their divorce efficiently.
Some people may see an attorney as an additional expense that can be avoided and try to tackle their divorces on their own or with minimal help. This is often a mistake, as the legal issues that come into play in a divorce can have tremendous, life-altering consequences. Under Maryland property division laws, each spouse is entitled to an equitable distribution of the couple’s property, which means that a person can likely expect to part with a good portion of his or her marital assets. With so much at stake, having the help of an experienced Maryland family law attorney, from the divorce filing through the settlement and beyond, is something everyone should consider.
Source: Quartz “The 50% divorce rate stat is a myth, so why won’t it die?” Danielle Teller, Dec. 5, 2014