New York Named One of Worst States to Get Divorced

Going through a divorce can be a difficult and stressful experience, and unfortunately the state of New York doesn’t make things any easier on couples who have decided to end their marriage. According to a recent report, New York is one of the seven worst states to get divorced due to expensive filing fees and long waiting periods.

These rankings, which are based on data from the U.S. Census, state legislatures, state bar associations and Bloomberg, identified the seven states in which divorcing couples face the most significant challenges in terms of costs and another barriers. New York made the list because of its filing fee of $335 combined with a minimum processing period of 360 days.

It’s important to note, however, that these conditions have improved since 2010, when the state officially began recognizing no-fault divorces. Now divorcing couples only must demonstrate that they have had a marital breakdown of at least six months, and they do not have to go through a trial separation. New York also has the second-lowest rate of divorce nationwide, which some family law attorneys credit to the fact that, on average, couples here wait longer than their counterparts in other states to get married.

Researchers from the National Fatherhood Initiative have cited the following as some of the more common reasons why couples get divorced:

• Lack of commitment from one or both partners
• Too much arguing and conflict in the relationship
• Unrealistic expectations
• Infidelity or lack of trust
• Lack of equality in income or decision-making
• Domestic violence and abuse

Although divorce rates in our state are lower than in other parts of the country, it still can be incredibly difficult to go through this process in New York. If you need to explore your options for dissolving your marriage, meet with an experienced Suffolk County divorce lawyer with Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.