Income inequality could signal a divorce

In American society, husbands are still expected to provide for their families financially. Therefore, when a wife makes more than her husband, it could jeopardize the success of a marriage. This may be true for married couples in Oklahoma and throughout the United States. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule such as when husbands work as freelancers and their wives have jobs that provide the family with health insurance.

It is also possible that a couple stays together when a woman is the breadwinner because they can’t afford to live in separate locations. Since about 1975, there have been changing attitudes as to what a woman’s role is in a relationship. However, a Pew study found that 75 percent of respondents said that more women in the workplace has made it harder for parents to raise their kids.

As a general rule, a married man makes more than a single man, single woman or married woman. It is believed that this is because married men are older than those in the other three groups. Therefore, their earning potential may be greater than single men or women. The economy may play a role in whether a couple gets and stays married. A recent survey from Merrill Edge found that a majority of both men and women want partners who provide financial security over love.

In a divorce, alimony is generally provided to the spouse who earned less during the marriage regardless of gender. Furthermore, the spouse who has fewer assets may receive a larger share of martial property in a divorce settlement. An attorney might be able to help a person develop a strategy to obtain a favorable outcome in a divorce. This may occur through mediation, arbitration or a divorce trial.