According to the American Community Survey, Texans and other residents of southern states are more likely to remarry after a divorce than people living anywhere else in the country. The statistics don’t surprise many sociologists, since the South has the highest divorce rate. Some say that a cultural marriage expectations are a major factor that influence divorce and marriage rates.

Since couples in the Northeast generally wait longer to marry, and therefore see lower divorce rates, experts say couples do not experience as much pressure to get married as couples in the South do. The lower divorce rates also contributes to the South’s higher remarriage rates. Fortunately, studies show that second marriages appear to last longer than first marriages.

If you are considering filing for divorce and are seeking legal advice, contact the Houston divorce lawyers of Garg & Associates, P.C., at 800-242-2151.

Advocates for divorce reform argue that stricter and more difficult ways for couples to get divorced could help the national budget and the children of divorce from issues further in life.

Studies show that children in a single-parent household can cost the government $20,000-$30,000 a year, or $33 billion to $112 billion a year in “divorce-related social-service subsidies and lost revenue.” In 2008, the Census Bureau found that divorce rates were as high as 8.2 per 1,000 people. Polling over the past 30 years show that Americans believe divorce should be more difficult to obtain than easier.

The affects on children are much more severe. Studies show that children of divorce are less likely to make higher sums of money and die 5 years younger than children from non-divorced families. Research from Penn State also show that there would be 70,000 fewer suicides a year, 500,000 fewer acts of child delinquency, 600,000 fewer children in therapy, 1.2 million fewer school suspensions, and 750,000 fewer children forced to repeat grades.

If you or someone you know is in the process or thinking about getting a divorce, call the Houston divorce lawyers of Garg & Associates, P.C., at 800-242-2151.