Can Your Career Predict Your Likelihood of Divorce?
By: M. Scott Gordon
Do spouses with certain types of jobs in the Chicago area file for divorce more often than individuals in different professions? Could your chosen profession impact your likelihood of divorce? According to a recent article in Forbes, stress levels associated with specific jobs may indeed result in a higher divorce rate under certain circumstances. If there are jobs that tend to have employees with higher divorce rates, could simply changing your job also allow you to save your marriage?
Your Career Can Affect Your Marriage
It should not come as a surprise to most Chicago area married couples that your career can affect your marriage. To be sure, many studies have shown that money issues and stress levels contribute significantly to a couple’s decision to get divorced. For example, one study out of Kansas State University determined that “arguments about money were the top predictor of divorce among both men and women—even higher than arguments about children, sex, or in-laws.” But does that mean more individuals with lower paying jobs are more likely to get divorced than individuals with higher paying jobs? Not necessarily.
As the Forbes article reports, a recent study on divorce rates and careers suggests that both emotional and financial strains contribute to higher divorce rates among couples aged 30 and younger. What are some of the jobs that lead to divorce more often than others?
Military Jobs Have High Emotional and Financial Stress Factors
When it comes to linking certain careers to higher divorce rates, the study suggests that military careers often are at the top of the list. It indicates that military jobs “put the largest strain on marriages . . . considering the stress that constant deployments and moves can put on a family both emotionally and financially.” In particular, first-line military supervisors who are tasked with coordinating and leading enlisted service members have the highest divorce rates noted in the study, coming in at around 30 percent. On average, military divorce rates come in at a much lower number—15 percent.
Yet there are many other types of jobs that also produce significant financial and emotional stress, both on the job and back at home.
Careers with Particularly High Divorce Rates
In addition to first-line military supervisors, what other career fields have particularly high divorce rates? The article cites the following as all having high divorce rates, ranging from 14 percent to 18 percent:
Among those with the lowest divorce rates—coming in at 4 percent or less—are individuals who have careers in the legal, science, and entertainment fields, according to the article.
Contact a Chicago Divorce Attorney
Could changing your career affect your likelihood of divorce? The study emphasizes that there are many different factors that influence each divorce case, but financial stress is a large contributor. As such, it is important to come to an agreement early on in the marriage about finances, future money goals, and other economic plans. If you have questions about filing for divorce, an experienced Chicago divorce lawyer can speak with you today. Contact Gordon & Perlut, LLC for more information.