Top reasons spouses get divorced

Kansas attorneys, like those throughout the U.S., may tell you that January is the time of year when divorce filings peak. Some can pinpoint it to the day–Jan. 8–as the one that sees the most divorce inquiries from spouses, according to Harper’s Bazaar, because it is the first business Monday following the Christmas and New Year holiday season. All that togetherness tends to make underlying issues rise to the top. The biggest reason? Money pressures.

A study of more than 2,000 people found more than a 37 percent of the respondents named financial worries as the most challenging aspect of their marriage, and 21 percent of them blamed their spouse for causing money problems. About 16 percent of survey respondents admitted to arguing about money in the week before filing, which is understandable when you consider that Christmas brings with it a lot of pressure, financial and otherwise.

• Additional reasons cited by those in the survey include:
• Lack of intimacy and not spending enough time together
• Domestic responsibilities and disagreements over raising children
• Stress from work and having different interests
• Lack of trust because of past infidelity

Psychology Today points out that the reasons behind a divorce are often more complex than a single issue and include a variety of factors. Individual characteristics, poverty, upbringing and family history, mental health issues, communication, attachment and a spouse’s misbehavior are all pieces of the puzzle. However, most people believe they have worked hard on the marriage, while their spouses did not and lay the responsibility for divorce at their partner’s feet.

Although there may be myriad reasons contributing to the failed relationship, many can also distinguish a “final straw,” of which the most common are infidelity, domestic violence and substance abuse. Also interesting to note are that women are the ones more likely to pronounce the relationship at an end.

Those considering marriage should take the time to know themselves, as well as the person they want to marry. For those who are happily married and want to stay that way, remember to do your part in maintaining the union.