Number of Remarriages in America Continues to Grow
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 42 million American adults have been married more than once. The current estimate has almost doubled from what it was in 1980, when 22 million reported having been remarried, and has tripled the 14 million figure from 1960. The increase in divorce throughout the United States over the last several decades has certainly been a factor, along with an upward shift in the average age of the population, both of which contribute to more individuals able to and interested in getting remarried.
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Framingham Heart Study: Research Suggests Divorce May Be Contagious
“Approaching the epidemiology of divorce from the perspective of an epidemic may be apt in more than way than one,” wrote Rose McDermott, professor at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies. Dr. McDermott studied interviews with more than 5000 individuals over a 30-plus year period in one of the country’s longest running longitudinal research projects. She continued, “The contagion of divorce can spread through a social network like a rumor, affecting friends up to two degrees removed.”
Continue reading Framingham Heart Study: Research Suggests Divorce May Be Contagious
Framingham Heart Study: Research Suggests Divorce May Be Contagious
“Approaching the epidemiology of divorce from the perspective of an epidemic may be apt in more than way than one,” wrote Rose McDermott, professor at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies. Dr. McDermott studied interviews with more than 5000 individuals over a 30-plus year period in one of the country’s longest running longitudinal research projects. She continued, “The contagion of divorce can spread through a social network like a rumor, affecting friends up to two degrees removed.”
Continue reading Framingham Heart Study: Research Suggests Divorce May Be Contagious
Relationship Development Revisited: More Divorce Risk Factors
No matter how much research is published, it is rather unlikely that a couple preparing for marriage will cancel their plans based on a compilation of marriage and divorce statistics. Researchers, however, are able to take larger numbers of marriages and analyze some of the demographic and social factors involved attempting to determine if trends or relationships exist between those factors and the success level of the marriage.
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Illinois Celebrates 100 Children Helped by Safe Haven Law
In a perfect world, the birth of a child would always be a joyous occasion. New parents would happily share the news with everyone they could as they welcomed the new addition to their family. However, in the real world, many expectant mothers find themselves alone, scared, and totally unprepared for raising a child. This is why in 2001, Illinois passed the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act and through its provisions, over 100 at-risk children have since been adopted into loving homes.
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Parenting Plans: A New Take on Custody Agreements
In a divorce situation, making arrangements for the custody and care of your children will be among the most difficult decisions to be made. Regardless of your feelings toward your ex-spouse, your children still deserve the best efforts of both parents in providing for them. For this reason, many divorced parents are recognizing the importance of a parenting plan that they have jointly negotiated rather than relying solely on a judge’s interpretation of the law.
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Fixed-Term Spousal Maintenance Will Soon Be an Option
In August of 2014, the Illinois legislature passed a bill, which Governor Pat Quinn signed into law, amending the current provisions regarding spousal maintenance. Sometimes known as alimony in other jurisdictions, spousal maintenance represents the support an individual may be required to provide to their ex-spouse following a divorce. The changes enacted this summer will go into effect on January 1, 2015, and are considered by many to have been long overdue.
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Invalidating a Prenuptial Agreement
The average age at which Americans marry for the first time continues to rise to record levels. This, combined with the increasing number of second and third marriages, means that couples are bringing more of their individual lives with them when they marry. Each spouse, on average, has had more time to pursue business interests and accumulate wealth, for example, than they may have had a generation or two ago. As such, prenuptial agreements are also becoming increasingly common, as individuals seek to protect specific assets or interests in the event the marriage fails.
Adoption of a Stepchild in Illinois
Ending a committed relationship is always difficult, but when the relationship involves children, the emotions can be overwhelming. For parents, a breakup or divorce can feel like their world is crashing down around them. The excitement and happiness of a new relationship can be equally strong, and many divorced parents eventually decide to marry again. As the new family becomes accustomed to each other and their roles, the couple may elect to pursue a “related adoption” to grant legal parental rights to the step-parent.
Custody and Visitation: Post-Divorce Holiday Planning
If you believe what you see in department stores, the holiday season has been in full swing for months. At this point, Ebenezer Scrooge himself could hardly deny that the holidays are now right around the corner. For divorced parents, it may be a season of unpredictable emotions as they find themselves trying to negotiate holiday plans and arrangements for their children. Stress, anger, and resentment may threaten to overshadow the happiness and joy of the holidays for those who are not prepared.
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