Ending a marriage when you have children is one of life’s most heart-wrenching events. You must think of yourself and try to plan a new start, but you must also consider how the divorce might impact your kids.
Anytime you can learn from the experiences of others, it may help when making critical divorce and child custody decisions. Studying divorce statistics involving children also helps. For example, statistics can reveal insight into how family courts approach child custody and parenting time issues.
Some of these statistics may surprise you
Although states have individual laws addressing child custody, looking at nationwide statistics can help you spot trends that may affect your children. For example, nearly 60% of political swing states like Minnesota typically award parents equal custody and parenting time.
Other custody statistics collected in recent years include:
- Most (about 90%) of parents settle child custody matters outside of court.
- More than 62% of custodial fathers in the U.S. are white (non-Hispanic).
- Nearly 75% of custodial dads work full-time jobs.
- Most states, including Minnesota, consider the child’s custodial preferences.
- More black children than white reside with a custodial parent after a divorce.
- Nearly 42% of custodial mothers in America are aged 40 or older.
- Over 40% of custodial mothers never married their child’s dad.
- By contrast, less than 30% of custodial dads never married their child’s mother.
While statistics can help you see child custody and parenting time trends across the nation, they cannot replace learning more about custody laws in Minnesota. Your enhanced understanding of these matters can help you make sense of matters in your own case.