Coincidence? Maybe not

Back in 1960, John F. Kennedy eked out victory in a tough campaign for the presidency over Richard M. Nixon. The young, handsome president with a beautiful wife and adorable little girl (soon to be accompanied by her adorable little brother) charmed the nation. Was it coincidence that the marriage rate in 1960 was 72 percent of adults 18 years or older? Maybe.

That was the high point in marriage rate of the past 50 years, the Pew Research Center says. The rate has been declining ever since as divorce slowly shed its social taboo and some people decided to skip marriage entirely.

By 1970, war was raging, anti-war protests filled the streets and the marriage rate had dipped to 69 percent. Men began wearing sideburns and leisure suits; women glittered in long dresses and pantsuits (scarily echoing the pale pastels men were donning). The marriage rate understandably continued to drop; all the way down to 62 percent by 1980.

Even though the economy rebounded in the 1980s, it was also the disco era. People were in the mood to spend money and dance, but not necessarily to marry. By the end of the disco decade of the ’80s, the marriage rate had dipped to 58 percent in 1990, according to the Research Center.

By 2000, it had dropped another couple percentage points, and by 2010, it took another dip down to a bare majority of 51 percent of U.S. adults married. A few years later and it is dead even today: half of adults are married and half are not. Twenty-four percent of adults have never been married, while 11 percent are divorced or separated today.

Back in 1960, just 5 percent of adults had come to the end of a marriage. Times change and so do divorce statutes, customs and traditions. However, when a marriage ends, some disputes are as familiar as a love song from yesteryear: disagreements over child custody, property division and spousal support are still issues to be worked out by you with a Nevada family law attorney at your side.

We can’t bring the past back, but we can help you shape your future in negotiations and if needed, in litigation.