It is one of the most cited statistics: Nearly 50% of all marriages end in divorce. The statistic is often accepted as fact, and with that fact comes the proverbial cold feet caused by entering the sanctity of a lifelong commitment.
Statistics released in 2016 paint a much different divorce picture. In 2015, the national divorce rate dropped to the lowest percentage in more than 40 years. Fast forward to 2018 and many researchers have said the American divorce rate might be as low as 40%.
Nonetheless, some states have bucked the lower national divorce rate trend, and Florida is one such state. According to the United States Census Bureau, Florida has the 7th highest divorce rate on the country. A little more than 50,000 Floridian couples submit petitions for divorce each year in The Sunshine State. More than 15% Florida residents have separated or entered into a divorce. Eleven Florida cities rank in the top 50 American cities for having the highest divorce rates.
An Overview of Divorce Law in Florida
Florida law allows divorce for two reasons: an irrevocably damaged marriage or one of the partners has received a mental incapacity diagnosis. Also referred to as Dissolution of Marriage, Florida divorce law mandates an equal distribution of assets and liability. A court considers factors such as alimony, child support and time sharing when determining the fair division of marital assets and liabilities. For a court to grant a divorce request, both partners must demonstrate proof of residing in Florida for a minimum of six months before filing divorce paperwork. One partner files the petition for divorce in the Florida county where the partner lives.
Are There Good Reasons for Divorce?
The most common reaction to divorce is typically highly negative. After years of living with a partner, the prospect of going it alone can appear daunting. If you have children, the dissolution of a marriage can take a huge emotional toll on everyone involved. Then, there are the inevitable internal questions of “Will I spend the rest of my life alone” and “Am I a failure.”
Although divorce creates a negative stigma, the fact remains both partners in a marriage can have good reasons for choosing to split.
Clash of the Finances
Nothing tears us apart more than differing on how we spend money. You might enter a marriage on the same page as your partner when it comes to money management issues, but factors such as a change in job or an unexpected cash windfall can dramatically alter how one or both partners view family finances. If you and your spouse have drifted apart on money management principles, the time has come to consider taking your perspective of money with you into a new life.
New Lease on Life
Maybe you have heard the lament delivered by one or more friends or relatives. “I feel trapped in my marriage” is a common refrain, but what exactly does it mean to be trapped in a marriage? It can mean a wide variety of things, from feeling stifled in the decision making process to viewing the relationship as incredibly stagnant. Staying in a bad marriage provides security, but filing for divorce can restart a stalled life.
Good for the Kids
Although we hear a lot about the detrimental affect divorce has on our children, we do not hear as much about how a bad marriage negatively influences young children and adolescents. Constant arguing and frequent backbiting take an emotional tool on children. After the legal dust settles and both parents have established solid single parent routines, children often live healthier lives.
Find the Right Partner for You
They say there is only one right partner for us, but in a world approaching eight billion people, who is to say the right partner lives in the same city where we attended college. Divorce frees partners to find the most compatible match to lock into a true lifelong relationship commitment. You deserve to find a partner that invests as much emotionally into a marriage as you invest.
A Return to a Focus on You
If not properly managed, a marriage can take away personal passions, such as pursuing a hobby or attending a post-secondary school to acquire the skills needed for a second career. Marriage can turn into the same daily routine that grinds the passion for life out of one or both partners. Divorce allows for some personal time to get reacquainted with what matters the most to us.
A Healthier You
Bad marriages exact a physical and mental toll that can take years to dissipate. Just stress alone leads to higher blood pressure, which is the gateway to potentially life threatening ailments like stroke and cardiovascular disease. Unhappy partners tend to consume poor diets lacking proper nutrition. Instead of exercise to relive marital stress, one or both partners turn to alcohol to get through the days of rancor and bitterness. Although divorce is a stressful event, the aftermath is a much healthier you.
A Happy Parent Equals a Better Parent
Many couples stay in bad marriages for the kids, but the truth remains ending a bad marriage produces happier parents. Happier parents have more energy to devote focused attention to raising their children. The time spent with custody is time spent wisely for the betterment of the kids. It might take a little time, but divorce can rekindle parent-child relationships that a bad marriage has tarnished.
Why Can’t We Be Friends?
Marriage can turn best friends into daily quarreling combatants. Sometimes, the most effective way to restore a previously rock solid friendship is to end the marriage. Instead of bickering about every little thing, both partners see divorce as a pathway to rekindle an important friendship.
Divorce is the not the answer for many marriages. However, because of one or more reasons, divorce might be the solution to get your life back on track.
