How much has the greater incidence of divorce added to financial decline?

[grasswire]

Let's start with a family of four. Divorce ensues. Now two dwellings are needed, with utilities for each. A cursory glance at this situation replicated in huge numbers of families shows, I think, that divorce has cost us in economic ways that aren't talked about much.

So as the economy worsens, are couples more likely to stay together for security? It's an interesting question.

[villager]

1. My Ex never considered this at all when pursuing her affair...

...and subsequently, she imagines money will just replicate to cover the mushrooming "household" expenses... of the two houses....

[jorae28]

2. Divorce doubles after the Reagan years...

Ask any kid born in the 50's if his mom worked...the answer will be no..

But under Reagan, the climate to make corporations stronger was becoming the definition of the Republican America. Anything that helped all the Americans, like there were starting to see in European Health Care, Bullet trains, No-limited Unemployment weeks were thrown together in some Republican back room and labeled Socialism and they needed to enforce that it was bad. We were going to get a better plan call Trickle Down instead of Socialism..it didn't take long to see, it just gave the corporations more opportunity to not pay for social programs because taxes did not get raised, they did not have to give raises, because it was up to the individual owners, not a forced law. But getting elected under words and not having the any power to enforce them became a Republican gimcrack. The new policies soon brought down income and required both parents to work...

Unions were busted and the attitude of become a large corporation that were benefiting from deregulation under Reagan... fueled the fire.

Divorce....When a woman had to become part of the work force, she asked herself, am I better off now? 50% said No, I am better off making decisions with the money I bring in and I will use it for the children.

Too many old school dads just wanted the money turned over to them...

So, of the different ways to keep a family together, I prefer how it happened in the 50's...before Reagan and the twisted view that America had nothing to do with families, only corporate wealth...

[txlibdem]

8. I was with you till you said dads wanted all the money handed over

You nailed it when you mentioned that Reagan forced women into the work place (one wage earner was no longer enough to support a family). That was the end of the American family, divorce is only one side effect of the destruction of families in this country.

America needs to go back to one wage earner families. Why does it make sense that a dad should need to work 2 jobs and mom has to work one or two herself just to put food on the table in this day and age? It's idiotic and that's not living!

[grasswire]

11. that was the time when "no fault" divorce became the law

Previously, one spouse had to prove infidelity or some allowable reason for divorce. When no-fault divorce became the law, divorce skyrocketed. Now, I doubt that most people who are marrying ever think about not being able to be divorced if they so desire later on. (Even if they vow the til death us do part vow.)

[Sherman A1]

3. From my experience, divorce requires

3 - 5 years from which to recover financially. That gets you back to roughly where you were prior to the split. Not only do you need 2 households, but there are those pesky attorney fees, loss from child tax exemptions, perhaps some increased medical bills, time off from work (mental health days that you might need), etc.
While the goal is the same (to dissolve the marriage and sort out the bills & stuff) each case differs with the individuals involved. You will find that the current financial world is probably causing more stress on marriages and may lead to more splits, just as you find it forcing people to find ways to stay together even if the "romance" is long gone.

[Riftaxe]

4. I would imagine for the most part

that divorce will not affect job status in any major fashion. So economically it is probably a fairly trivial concern in the macro sense.

And if you think any politician of any party above the position of dog catcher cares about the micro impact, it's time to start clicking those heels 3 times :)

[Warren Stupidity]

5. yeah our situation has nothing to do with 35 years of

the deliberate destruction of the post world war II middle class through deregulation, off-shoring of capital investment in manufacturing, abject neglect of infrastructure, ruinous military spending coupled with egregiously irresponsible tax policies that benefited primarily the exceedingly wealthy, no it is because people are getting divorced instead more instead of staying in failed marriages.

I agree, obviously divorce is the problem.

[stray cat]

6. You could argue the same for the reduced number of marriages -as singles have single incomes

[raccoon]

7. I know some couples who do that now.

However, one could argue that divorce helps the economy on the macro level. Someone has to buy appliances, furniture, etc., for the new household.

[grasswire]

10. but isn't it the children who suffer?

Dad is only capable of generating x dollars. Mom is only capable of generating x dollars. If they are married, 2 x dollars go to the benefit of the family, with one set of household expenses. When divorced, 2 x dollars are still the income but there are two sets of household expenses. That means less resources overall for the benefit of the children.

[raccoon]

12. Yes. Maybe I should've added sarcasm. nt

[PassingFair]

14. Not if they both hook up again.

People do re-marry.

[txlibdem]

9. The US has highest divorce rate in the world

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/peo_div_rat-people-divorce-rate

I'd say that the nightmare of American Capitalism has caused more divorce, rather than the opposite as you state.

[eridani]

13. More houses for the same number of people = an increase in GDP n/t

[CHIMO]

15. How Much

Of financial problems led to divorce?

What are the fundamentals?

Poverty or divorce or ...?