A Brighter Future Is Within Your Reach

A Brighter Future Is Within Your Reach

Millennials: how they view marriage and divorce

On Behalf of | Aug 16, 2012 | Divorce Mediation, Firm News |

Our Massachusetts millennials, or “Generation Next,” have been studied and characterized by the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trust surveys as, “Confident. Connected. Open to Change.” This group of 18 to 29-year-old young adults is very different compared to their parents, who are likely to be baby boomers.

According to a recent study, some of these differences relate to their feelings about marriage and divorce. Apparently millennials are aware of the prevalence of divorce, but don’t think it will happen to them. Eighty-six percent of them believe that their marriage will last. Baby boomers might consider it reality with a dash of wishful thinking.

The numbers are not only optimistic; they are perhaps a tad more conservative than previous generations. Consider this:

  • 73 percent believe you should be married before having children
  • 57 percent believe sex with another person is wrong unless you’re in a relationship
  • 61 percent expect to give something up, such as career moves, in order to have a family life

Many of the millennials are the children of divorce and no doubt understand that slightly more than half of current marriages end in divorce. They seem undeterred however and are marching down the aisle with their hopes for a long marriage intact.

The study was a Clark University Poll of Emerging Adults. Those surveyed were all between the ages of 18 to 29 and included 23 percent married young adults, 10 percent who were living with a partner and 22 percent who were in a committed relationship. The remainder was single and unattached.

Source: Daily News, “Most young adults expect marriage to last a lifetime,” Aug. 13, 2012

At our Worcester law firm we represent individuals of any age with divorce or premarital issues such as prenuptial agreements.