Divorce rates fall while marriage rates increase

California residents may be interested to know that data released on Nov. 17 reveals that divorce rates dropped in 2015 while marriage rates increased in the same year. However, this doesn’t imply that marriage rates are increasing because divorce rates are dropping or vice versa. While research still indicates that marriages have a 50 percent chance to fail, first marriages are generally more likely to last as opposed to a second marriage.

Economic reasons may also be at play when it comes to whether a marriage will last. Those who have money or other resources are likely to remain married while those who aren’t as well-off may be at a higher risk for getting a divorce. Individuals with a higher level of education are also more likely to remain married. An individual’s political views may play a role in whether he or she gets married.

Conservative states Alaska and Utah have the highest rate of marriage while the more liberal state Rhode Island has the lowest rate of marriage. Washington D.C. has the nation’s highest divorce rate with nearly 30 divorces per 1,000 marriages. Another factor that may explain the lower divorce rate is the changing attitude toward cohabitation and the willingness of younger people to wait longer before getting married for the first time.

The end of a marriage isn’t necessarily the end of a relationship between two people. They may choose to be friends or may need to work together to parent their children. An attorney may be able to help an individual establish his or her parental rights or work to resolve any dispute that may arise. Legal counsel may also be able to help an individual after a divorce has been settled if the other party is not complying with those terms.