Money Arguments Figure Highly in Divorce

As members of the largest family law practice on Long Island, our attorneys work daily to settle disagreements between divorcing spouses about money and assets. A study from Kansas State University suggests that the tendency of spouses to disagree over money may start them down the path toward divorce. 

Everyone knows money troubles make for a tougher domestic situation. But Sonya Britt, an assistant professor of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University, notes: “It didn’t matter how much you made or how much you were worth. Arguments about money are the top predictor for divorce because it happens at all levels.” 

In a study that examined data from 4,500 couples who participated in the National Survey of Families and Households, Britt made the following conclusions about money and marriage:

  • Arguments between married couples are not unusual or unhealthy. Arguments that focus predominantly or frequently on money use or management could be predictive of marital trouble in the near or distant future.
  • Disagreements about money occur in households at every income level.
  • Arguments about money tend to provoke more hostile language and long-term resentment.
  •  Disagreements about money can create communication roadblocks, leading to more disagreement about the same issue. Money troubles plus resentment adds up to higher relational stress and lower satisfaction in the marriage.
  • Long-term stress affects children and the nature and duration of a marriage. 

During divorce, financial disagreements come full circle, sometimes leading to stalled negotiations as couples struggle to make agreements that serve their best interests. 

The importance of money management during and after marriage is clear. Talk to our firm when you need aggressive legal advocacy with divorce issues in New York.

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