Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Procreating is Pricey

By:  Carole L. Chiamp 

According to The Motley Fool, an investment newsletter, the costs of having a child are going up.

“Higher costs for transportation, child care, food, and education mean raising a child born in 2011 will cost a middle-class family $235,000, up $8,000 from the previous year.  Throw in paying for a college degree, and it’s easy to see why some parents feel they can’t save for retirement.  But don’t neglect your own financial well-being.  Only begin saving for your kid’s college once you’ve calculated that you’re saving enough for your own retirement.”

Monday, July 16, 2012

Divorce by the Numbers

By: Carole L. Chiamp

Divorce rate statistics are bandied about by everyone to suit their purposes.  Divorces are near but not at 50%.  Statistics can be found at U.S. Census, the Center for Disease Control and Independent Americans for Divorce Reform.  Here are some statistics culled from these agencies and groups:

Who Wants Their Marriage to End

Age                              Women                      Men

Under 20 years old        27.6%                 11.7%
20 to 24 years old         36.6%                 38.8%
25 to 29 years old         16.4%                 22.3%
30 to 34 years old           8.5%                 11.6%
35 to 39 years old           5.1%                  6.5%

Divorce Statistics for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Marriages
1st marriage         41%-50%
2nd marriage        60%-67%
3rd marriage         73%-74%

Drop in Divorce Rate

Data points to the fact that divorces in the 21st Century are lasting longer than those in the 1990s.  Rates will also probably drop more as fewer couples marry and simply choose to live together.

Divorce Rates by States (for 2009)
These figures are based on national, regional and state marriages per 1,000 men and women ages 15 and over in 2009, pursuant to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau Community Survey:

State                  Men           Women

Alabama             12.7%         13.9%
Alaska              12.5%         16.2%
Arizona             10.8%        11.9%
Arkansas            13.5%         12.8%
California            8%            8.9%
Colorado           11.6%            9.4%
Connecticut         6.7%         10.7%
Delaware             8.9%           8.7%
D.C.                     6.3%           8.3%
Florida                 8.5%           9.9%
Georgia              11.5%         11.7%
Hawaii                 8.3%           7.8%
Idaho                   7.7%            9.7%
Illinois                    8%              8%
Indiana                  11%         10.7%
Iowa                   10.2%         10.8%
Kansas               10.6%          10.2%
Kentucky           12.6%          13.5%
Louisiana              11%             10%
Maine                   13%            9.1%
Maryland             8.8%            8.2%
Massachusetts     7.8%                7%
Michigan             9.2%             9.3%
Minnesota            7.4%            7.8%
Mississippi         11.1%           12.5%
Missouri               9.5%          10.4%
Montana               9.1%          11.1%
Nebraska               8.8%            9.8%
Nevada                12.3%          12.3%
New Hampshire  10.1%          9.6.%
New Jersey             6.1%             6%
New Mexico        10.2%        10.1%
New York                6.6%         7.3%
North Carolina        9.9%       10.3%
North Dakota              8%         8.3%
Ohio                         9.5%          10%
Oklahoma               12.8%      14.1%
Oregon                   10.4%       11.4%
Pennsylvania            7.7%         7.4%
Rhode Island            9.4%          9.5%
South Carolina          8.1%         7.8%
South Dakota          10.9%        8.9%
Tennessee                 11.4%      11.6%
Texas                          10%       11.9%
Utah                         10.2%      10.8%
Vermont                     9.6%      11.5%
Virginia                      8.9%      10.2%
Washington                 10%      10.6%
West Virginia           10.9%     11.8%
Wisconsin                   8.3%       7.5%
Wyoming                  10.3%     10.7%

With the statistics above, one would think that the United States has the highest divorce rates.  Not true.  The country with the highest divorce rate is Russia with five divorces per 1,000 people, according to the statistical report by the United Nations.  Next is Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and then the United States.  Take hope we are only in fifth place.  This is the one race where we should not aim to place higher.

More Statistics of Interest
  • The marriage breakup rate in 2005 (per 1,000) people was 3.6% which was the lowest rate since 1970
  • The highest rate was 5.3% in the year 1981
  • As of 2003, 43.7% of custodial mothers and 56.2% of custodial fathers were either separated or divorced
  •  In 2002, 7.8 million Americans paid about $40 billion in child and/or spousal support
  •  In 2002, the percentage of married people who reach their 5th, 10th and 15th anniversaries are 82%, 65% and 52% respectively
  •  Percentage of married people who reach their 25th, 35th and 5th anniversaries are 33%, 20% and 5% respectively
  •  Average length of divorce proceedings in America is one year