No Love? Many Reasons Why Montana Divorce Rates Continue to Climb

Divorce rates continue to climb in the US. For many, marriage is a bad bet. With the rate of divorce climbing each day. You may have heard the statistic that 50% of marriages end in divorce. Well, that is not far from the truth. Let's face it, if you stood on a casino floor and were given the choice between happiness or heartbreak by flipping a coin, would you take it?

According to a study by Forbes

A total of 689,308 divorces occurred in 2021 and approximately half of all first marriages end in divorce with subsequent marriages failing at higher rates.

When a couple divorces, they must state grounds fordivorce in court—this is the reason for ending the marriage and dictates the type of divorce being filed.

Thankfully, Montana doesn't rank too high on the list of states with the most divorce filings. Not to mention Montana has one of the highest marriage rates in the country. But, our number of divorces continues to climb.

According to the World Population Review

• Montana had a total of 111,396 marriages in 2021
• The divorce rate went from 2.3% in 2020 to 2.5% in 2021
• 11 out of 1000 Montanans got married in 2021

Why are people getting divorced?

According to Forbes, it is a "Lack of Family Support."

What does lack of family support mean? Is it not having Grandma agree to take the kids for a night so you can go on a date? Is it the mother of the bride meddling in the marriage?

Lack of family support can mean a lot of things. Everything from communication to intimacy to different parenting styles. These all play a role in family support. If these needs are not met, then it appears that marriages quickly begin to dissolve.

What can we do in Montana to lower the divorce rate?

• Make more time for each other. Life is busy in 2023. Take advantage of Montana's great outdoors and go for a walk or maybe a drive in the mountains.
• Learn how to communicate better. Make plans on how to tackle certain obstacles, instead of arguing about them.
• Create a better work/life balance. Making sure to separate work life from home life as much as possible.

Now, I am no expert on marriage by any means. In fact, I have yet to be married. But I was raised by two parents who have been together for 54 years now. I have seen the "ups and downs" of marriage. I can't tell you whether my folks are just two extremely stubborn people, or if they are proof that marriage in Montana can really work. Regardless, as their child, I am thankful and proud of them for sticking together all these years.