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Love and marriage may go together like a horse and carriage, but divorce rates remain high in the U.S.  

Why is that? And what impact is it having on millennials and Generation Z?    

Let’s find out.  

How to Take Care of Your Own Best Interests During a Divorce 

Before we delve into why divorce rates are high and the impact that divorce is having on millennials and Generation Z, it is worth noting how to take care of your own best interests if you are going through a divorce.  

Even in amicable divorces, you can experience stress and miscommunication with your ex, so it is important that you take time to actively look after yourself by performing relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation.  

With regards to more practical matters, you can ensure your divorce runs more smoothly and is as pain-free as possible when you hire experienced and committed divorce lawyers who have your best interests at heart, can give you the support you need and can navigate legal complexities to help you resolve issues in the best possible way.    

You may also be interested in learning why temporary marriage licenses are not a solution to increasing divorce rates. 

How high are divorce rates? 

According to 2022 statistics from Legal Jobs, the divorce rate is actually falling in the U.S. right now.   

However, that stat is a little misleading because the divorce rate in the U.S. is one of the highest in the world.   

The Legal Jobs study shows the current U.S. divorce rate is 2.9 people per 1,000 people.  

That means there are currently more than 750,000 divorces in the country each year.    

Also, divorces are on the rise among people who are fifty years of age and older.  

Why are divorce rates high? 

Divorces are caused by numerous reasons, such as marrying too young, getting pregnant before marriage, having limited income, and not living together before marriage.  

According to a 2013 paper entitled Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention, published by the National Library of Medicine, the reasons cited for divorce were:  

• 75% got divorced due to a lack of commitment. 
• 59.6% got divorced due to infidelity. 
• 57.7% got divorced due to arguments and conflicts. 
• 45.1% got divorced due to marrying too young. 
• 36.7% got divorced due to financial problems. 

The Impact of Divorce on Millennials and Generation Z 

If you are not aware, millennials are classified as people who were born between the early 1980s and late 1990s, while Generation Z refers to those who succeeded millennials.  

Generation X came before millennials, and it seems to be their attitudes towards marriage and divorce that have affected the subsequent generations.  

For instance, according to Evie magazine, Generation X was the first generation in which it was normal to have divorced parents.  

Due to that, you may be surprised to learn that millennials are actually lowering the divorce rate in the U.S.  

However, they are also lowering the marriage rate.  

The report in Evie Magazine states that half of millennials are not married. The main reasons given are that they are fearful of commitment and divorce, as they have seen previous generations’ divorce rates rise.  

That has also led to those millennials who do get married getting more prenups prior to marriage and testing the water by living with their partners before tying the knot.  

The report also states that 25% of millennials have no intention of getting married.  

Basically, millennials are more skeptical of marriage and more fearful of divorce.    

While reliable statistics are not available for Generation Z, early indications show that they are following in the footsteps of the previous generation by also not wanting to get married and being worried that if they do, it could end in divorce.  

This content is provided by an independent source for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Consult an attorney or financial advisor when making decisions. This information is provided by legal writers and does not reflect the views or opinions of The Daily Sundial editorial staff.