Marriages More Likely to End When Women Are Breadwinners

Traditionally, men have been the breadwinners, working to provide for their families while the women stayed at home to tend to children and take care of the household. Things have changed dramatically since then. In the past few decades, women have come out of the house and climbed up the corporate ladder. Many women are earning six figures and making more money than their husbands.

This is great news for women’s rights as a whole, but women being breadwinners is killing marriages. Studies show that married couples are much more likely to get divorced if the woman is the breadwinner. When the woman is the primary earner, the couple is two to three times more likely to get divorced. This is the situation across all income levels.

Statistics show that 43% of marriages end in a divorce. Most of these divorces — roughly two-thirds — are initiated by women. It is believed that finances play a major factor in these divorces. Households in which the woman significantly outnumbers her husband account for 16% of American couples, but they account for 42% of all divorces. Since 2012, female breadwinner households have made up more than 40% of all divorcing couples.

Couples in which both parties worked and earned more money were less likely to get divorced, but not by much anymore. In 2012, households earning under $50,000 accounted for 50% of divorces. In 2023, that number dropped to just 33%. Single-income households are hit the hardest. The divorce rates are twice as high, and single-income divorces have increased by 2.6% every year since 2019.

So why are women leaving their marriages once they become a high earner? Because their husbands aren’t doing anything to make up for the lack of income. For the most part, the men aren’t taking over the household chores or childcare duties. What this means is that many high-earning women are still expected to do the majority of the domestic labor.

When a woman has the ability to financially support herself, and she’s still expected to do everything else, what’s the point of staying married? When the man is not doing much to contribute to the household, the woman is likely to feel resentful, to the point where she decides to leave.

Research also shows that men who are not the primary earners tend to feel insecure and inadequate. This can affect their self-esteem and behavior toward their wives. Another thing to consider is that men who make less than their wives tend to feel emasculated. They are more likely to have affairs as a way to deal with these feelings. Some men are envious of their wives and may behave in a competitive or hostile way toward them.

Seek Legal Help

While women seem to want it all, they don’t necessarily want to be the breadwinner. Having to take care of the children, household, and finances is extremely stressful, especially when the husband doesn’t do his fair share.

Many marriages end over finances. If your marriage is struggling, seek legal help from Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer Edward J. Jennings, P.A. We are here for you with compassionate, dedicated, and effective representation in the resolution of divorce and all related issues. To schedule a consultation, fill out the online form or call 954-764-4330.

Source:

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