Do the Rich Have Lower Divorce Rates?

Do the Rich Have Lower Divorce Rates?

Money is the cause of fights in almost every marriage. There never seems to be enough. Bills are piling up. The car broke down. The dog needs to go to the vet. The kids need braces. It is always something.

But even when there is enough money, that does not keep couples together. Even billionaires get divorced. Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are living proof. In fact, it has been shown that America’s richest billionaires have the same divorce rates as the average not-so-rich citizen

What does this mean? No amount of money can guarantee a lifelong marriage. Each marriage has human emotions and problems, and no matter how much money you have, divorce can still happen. 

That is because money is just one aspect of a marriage. There are many other reasons why couples divorce. Many cite a lack of commitment as a major cause of divorce. Infidelity, substance abuse, and domestic violence are also common themes in many divorces. As couples get older, they discover other aspects about their marriage, such as no common interests and a lack of intimacy as reasons for the breakdown of their marriages. Age and gender can also influence divorce.

The Rich Get Special Treatment

Many celebrities are rich, and we know that celebrity marriages do not usually last long. Some do not last beyond a year or two. After being married for 27 years, we thought Bill and Melinda Gates would last forever. That’s like 100 years in the celebrity world. 

But being a celebrity is different from being an average citizen. Celebrities get special treatment. They are exposed to many more people. They get what they want and do what they want because they have money. They are never told “no,” so they do not want a spouse telling them what to do. They do not want to make any sacrifice or compromises for a spouse. This makes it hard for them to stay in a relationship for too long.

The Rich Compete With Each Other

In this fast-paced world, celebrities are always trying to stay relevant. They are always doing something. If they take too much time off, someone else will take their place. When two celebrities are married to each other, it can be unpredictable. It is rare that one will step back to support the other. Instead, they will compete with each other, and that makes it hard to stay married. They do not focus on each other; they focus on themselves and make themselves so busy and unavailable with back-to-back events that they have no time for each other. This can cause a marriage to break down because there is no commitment to each other. 

The Rich Experience More Temptation

The fame and lifestyle of celebrities is nothing that ordinary citizens have ever experienced. We may not come across too many people in our everyday lives, but the rich live vastly different lifestyles. They have fans lining up to see them everywhere they go. There are people who want to be with them, even if their own spouses do not. They have people who adore them and will stroke their ego. Celebrities can be with almost anyone they want. There is so much temptation and this leads to infidelity. Plus, because of their money, they get used to doing certain things. After a while, they do not care what their spouses think. They do not think highly of their marriages because there will be someone else to admire them. Therefore, they do not make their marriages a priority.

Money Arguments Still Common

Despite all the reasons in which a marriage can break down, money problems still rank high. Nearly half of married couples argue over money. Spending habits account for 60% of these arguments, with one person spending too much or the other being too cheap. Other common money arguments involve dishonesty about money, disagreements on how to divide the bills, forgetting to pay a bill, and financial priorities.

Money issues are big for Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. Those who argue about money early on in their marriages see a higher rate of divorce. While couples fight about many things, such as spending time together or splitting household chores, financial disagreements are most likely to predict divorce. That is likely because these arguments are often hostile and lead to emotional abuse. 

The one thing that millionaires have going for them is that they probably do not argue much over money or spending habits. Or maybe they do. While many rich people have no problem spending money on the things they want, some are notoriously cheap and even stingy. They do not like spending too much money. After all, that is how they stay rich. So, wealth does not insulate someone from money arguments. Without proper spending habits, a rich person can quickly become poor. In fact, many rich people do not stay rich forever; they squander their fortunes. And many rich people grew up poor, so they may be scared to go back to that lifestyle again. 

Seek Legal Help

They say that money cannot buy happiness, and seeing that millionaires and billionaires still get divorced at high rates, this saying appears to be true to some degree. While money can buy you material things, it cannot keep marriages together. 

Money can lead to divorce, whether you are rich or poor. Broward County divorce attorney Scott J. Stadler can guide you through the divorce process, regardless of your financial situation. We can help you through even the most complex divorce. Fill out the online form or call (954) 346-6464 to schedule a consultation.