On behalf of Cooper & Tanis, P.C. posted in divorce on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.
Those who enlist in military service may be at a higher risk for divorce. This news comes after an analysis of U.S census data reported that certain stressful careers contributed significantly to divorce risk and that military careers tended to rank most highly. While this certainly doesn’t guarantee a divorce, it is something for Colorado residents to keep in mind.
Military jobs took three of the top ten spots in the analysis data for highest divorce rates. While air force careers featured more prominently, those across all ranks and branches of service were more likely to be divorced by age 30 compared to their civilian counterparts. The highest rate was for first-line enlisted military supervisors with a 30-percent divorce rate. The average divorce rate across all personnel was 15 percent.
This high divorce rate is due to myriad factors, but military careers have some common characteristics that tend to contribute to divorce. One of the most important characteristics was time spent away from home. Military personnel are often deployed for long periods, and the statistics indicated that each month away from home had a significant impact on divorce likelihood. Another factor for deployed military personnel deals with job stresses related to combat. This included facing danger in the field and also returning home with mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Even military personnel who never deployed faced challenges, including frequent moves or marrying too young.
Given that military professionals face a higher divorce risk compared to civilians, it may be prudent to take extra precautions. A premarital agreement can be a useful legal tool for such situations. A prenup can serve to protect both spouses from many of the financial problems and losses faced during divorce. It may even ease strain in the relationship because both individuals know they have a safety net in case the relationship doesn’t work out.
