On behalf of Cooper & Tanis, P.C. posted in divorce on Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Fights over money among married couples have new competition from political disagreements after the election of Donald Trump. Couples in Colorado suffering from differences of political opinion are part of a new trend identified by researchers and divorce attorneys. According to polls done by Wakefield Research, the previous six months have produced a spike in political fights within relationships. Over 20 percent of people in relationships reported more tension over politics than financial issues, which have long been a common source of divorce.

Members of the millennial generation tended to be the most sensitive to politics. A poll revealed that 22 percent of younger couples split because of politics. Overall, 10 percent of people of all ages ended their marriages or relationships because of the heightened level of political discord in the country.

Attorneys have validated the polling data. One East Coast divorce attorney said that people are fighting over politics more than any other time in her 35 years of legal practice. She believes that most of the splits result from partners insisting that the other person must agree totally. She considers narcissism, antisocial personality disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder to be the sources of these rigid attitudes that are driving couples apart.

When people are planning to file for divorce, a family law attorney could provide advice about how to prepare for the process. The client could learn about parental rights and how the law guides issues related to child custody, alimony, and child support. An attorney could also explain how to disclose financial information during negotiations for the division of property.