California couples know that a tight financial situation can bring discord to a marriage, since the insecurity brought on by being unable to pay bills on time or to pay for general household needs can often lead to fights. A 2016 study has provided clearer information about this, including that a husband’s employment status is a big factor in divorces.
The study conducted by a Harvard sociology professor looked at data from over 6,000 married couples and found that even though women had increasingly joined the work force and become more financially independent, their job status had not become a major factor for divorce, as it commonly believed. As well, the study also showed that household chores and the division of such work after women became a larger part of the work force did not really affect the risk of divorce. In fact, the study found that it was the husband’s job status that seemed to play a role in divorces, since they were still seen as the breadwinners. The study found that husbands who were not employed had a 3.3 percent chance of getting divorced in contrast with the 2.5 percent chance for those husbands who were steadily employed.
An unemployed husband often means more financial strife, including being unable to pay for necessities such as insurance and mortgages, and instability for the family. This might lead to other issues within the marriage and a filing for divorce.
In such cases, a person who is considering a divorce might find the guidance offered by a lawyer with family law experience helpful. The lawyer can often be of assistance in negotiating a comprehensive settlement agreement that covers property division and other applicable issues.