Divorce Rates Around the World

Check out how divorce rates in the Unites States compare to other areas of the world.

Business Insiders. MAP: Divorce Rates Around the World. Pamela Engel. May 25, 2014.

VALENTINE'S DAY SIGNALS START OF DIVORCE SEASON

On behalf of Askvig & Johnson, PLLP 

Most Minnesotans may think of Valentine's Day as a day for marriage proposals and romantic dates and not as a day that would mark the end of a relationship. However, those who study family law trends recently reported that, in fact, a spouse is much more likely to file a divorce proceeding just after the annual celebration of love.

One study concluded that the number of marital dissolutions filed in February runs 18 percent higher than in an average month. The number of those seeking a divorce attorney is also significantly higher. The number of inquiries to online referral websites increases between 38 percent and 40 percent in the latter half of February, depending upon which statistics one considers.

Some attribute the February surge to other factors unrelated to Valentine's Day. For example, January is the busiest month for bankruptcy filings, and financial problems can often lead to dissolution of marriage. Furthermore, the winter weather, especially in northern states like Minnesota, can force quarreling couples to spend additional time together indoors, thereby increasing marital friction.

Others, however, believe that the holiday itself contributes to the increase in dissolution filings. Disappointed expectations for the holiday may for some married people be the "last straw" that leads them to seek a divorce. Also, a person who has not been faithful to his or her spouse will often have to juggle the holiday between his or her affair partner and a husband or wife. A spouse is more likely to uncover his or her partner's affair in the midst of this juggling act.

The Valentine's Day season can be a great time to start or renew a relationship. Unfortunately, it can also put a fatal strain on a troubled one.

Source: KFSM 5 News, "Day after Valentine's kicks off divorce season," Feb. 15, 2013

DELINQUENT CHILD SUPPORT DRAINS MINNESOTA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

On behalf of Askvig & Johnson, PLLP 

While Minnesota ranks fourth in the United States in getting non-custodial parents to pay something toward child support, these parents still owe a combined $1.5 billion in delinquent payments.

Only 20 percent of non-custodial parents in Minnesota are current on their child support obligation, with 60 percent of these parents reportedly paying less than 75 percent of what they owe.

Delinquent child support payments not only hurt the child and the custodial parent, who presumably needs the payments to provide for the child's care, but also may burden the state's social welfare system. In some cases, when a parent does not receive child support, that parent must turn to government aid in order to keep the family afloat.

In order to remind parents of their legal obligation to financially support their children and in order to promote child support enforcement efforts, Minnesota named August Child Support Awareness Month. Ideally, statewide efforts such as Child Support Awareness Month will help custodial parents to collect outstanding payments.

A Minnesota resident does have some options to pursue child support enforcement. A parent who fails to pay child support timely may forfeit his or her tax refund check, for example. They may also face penalties, including a driver's license suspension, fines, a lien on their home, suspension on a hunting license or a professional license and, in some cases, jail time.

Getting the right information is essential in pursuing all efforts to collect delinquent child support. Additionally, if the paying parent feels that a child support order is out of line, it is important that he or she seeks to modify the order legally rather than put him- or herself in contempt of court by refusing to pay the ordered amount.

Source: Public News Service, "Unpaid child support puts pressure on state programs, taxpayers," Aug. 13, 2012

MINNESOTA'S CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS YIELD RESULTS

On behalf of Askvig & Johnson, PLLP 

According to a recent report, the Child Support Enforcement Division of Minnesota's Department of Human Services collected $582.9 million in child support payments in 2011. For the same period, Minnesota ranked 16th among all states with respect to child support collection.

Minnesota performs particularly well with respect to collecting child support on its open and active cases. By collecting an average of $2,397 in child support on each open case, Minnesota ranked fourth among all the states in the country. Although payments came from a variety of sources, the vast majority of the funds collected came via an income withholding order against a noncustodial parent's paycheck.

Many custodial parents rely on the services of Minnesota's Child Support Enforcement Division for their child support enforcement needs, and it seems that based on the recent statistics, that reliance may be justified, at least to an extent. However, parents are not obligated to use the Child Support Enforcement Division in order to enforce a child support order, and there may be some reasons for not doing so.

For example, even though as a whole Minnesota's Child Support Enforcement Division does a good job collecting support on behalf of the state's parents, the quality of a child support office can vary from county to county, and, in the case of larger counties, can even vary widely from one office to another. More importantly, people must remember that the Child Support Enforcement Division ordinarily cannot act as an attorney for the custodial parent and can only represent the interests of the support division.

In most cases, going through the state's child support enforcement agency is voluntary, and sometimes it may be best for a parent to take collection efforts into his or her own hands. A skilled family law attorney can help a noncustodial parent take the appropriate legal steps to collect child support without the state's assistance.

Source: Wahpeton Daily News, "Wilkin No. 2 in child support collections," Carrie McDermott, June 24, 2013