Of course, these days there are many more two-income households where expenses and responsibilities are shared.
But, even though gender roles have changed dramatically in the most recent decades, many couples also still adhere to a traditional division of labor, with men generally taking the lead on finances, financial advisors say. That can impact the overall dynamic in a marriage.
In addition, the high-income earner may have a job that requires travel and long hours, noted Jacqueline Newman, the managing partner of Berkman Bottger Newman & Rodd in New York.
“Then they spend a lot of time apart,” she said. “That causes a lot of strain on a marriage.”
As the economy gains strength and incomes rise across the board, more couples may experience trouble, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Divorces tend to pick up, rather than decrease, in an economic boom, the AAML said.
By an almost two-to-one margin, lawyers polled by the AAML said they typically only see a decline in the number of divorces during national economic downturns. When forced to weigh damaged marriages against tight budgets and uncertain financial outlooks, many spouses seem more willing to try and wait it out, the AAML said.
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