Divorce is more expensive for Jane than Jack

The Australian Institute of Family Studies has released recent statistics showing divorces are more costly for Australian women than for men, and for longer periods, too. The research suggests that even after one year of separating, a woman’s income is 21% less compared to a woman in a relationship. Even after six years later, she still will not have regained that income pre-separation, with her income still down by 12%.

ANU professor Matthew Gray was one of the researchers working with the Australian Institute of Family Studies and he has said the figures were the same for women with or without children. Professor Gray said the greatest decline in income came from the person who earned more money.

Interestingly, according to the research, a man’s income is similar to non-separated men in the first year of a split. Men’s income did decline after separation, but so did their expenses. “The biggest cost tends to be for women who are not working, have taking time out of work to have children and who are married to someone with a high-income,” Prof Gray said. “[For men] once you take into account the change in household costs and that the children are typically living with the mother all the time or most of the time … their living expenses are lower.”

Compared with separated persons on an international scale, Australian women are better off than women in countries such as the US, Germany and the United Kingdom, where men are much worse off. In the UK, men were 18% worse off, Germany 13% and in the US, 11%. Only in Switzerland did men come out of a relationship financially better off.

If you are going through a relationship or marriage breakdown, contact us at Taylor & Scott Lawyers for expert family law advice. The Family Lawyer team at Taylor & Scott are able to assist you explore options at law. We specialise in areas such as spousal maintenance and factors leading to a greater adjustment for future needs. We will ensure a just and equitable financial settlement for your future.

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