No one goes into their wedding expecting to eventually divorce. Sadly, this situation occurs all the time. Things are made even more complicated when one New Hampshire spouse earns more money than the other.
Women are increasingly earning more than men
A trend has emerged where women are earning more college degrees than men. As a result, it’s becoming increasingly common for them to earn higher incomes. This also translates into marriage, which can put a strain on relationships; although this is happening more with younger generations like millennials and Gen-Zers, for some couples, it could be a contributing factor in an eventual divorce.
Problems with earning discrepancies
Unfortunately, although it’s becoming more common for wives to earn more than their husbands, these earning discrepancies bring problems. One is that despite women earning more money, men are the ones contributing more to the household. This can lead to feelings of resentment and self-consciousness in husbands who earn less money. Men may also feel that their wives have lost respect for them because of the gap in their earnings.
Women are also affected by the financial discrepancies. If they face divorce, they are more likely to be ordered into paying their former spouse alimony. This can be a tricky situation for a woman even if she earns a good income; traditionally, women are hit harder by divorce and the issue is further compounded if children are involved.
The risk of divorce between couples where the wife earns more and the husband only works part-time is even higher. If earnings are significantly different between spouses, it can complicate matters when it comes time to determine how assets and debt are divided. If the wife, who earns more money in the marriage, is the one who owes debt alone, this, too, can affect her financial situation post-divorce.
