Are Teen Celebrity Marriages Sending the Wrong Message to Teens?

 Posted on June 27, 2012 in Family Law

Former Disney teen star Miley Cyrus is the latest celebrity to announce her engagement. The announcement is causing headlines because Cyrus is just 19, while her fiance is 22. And Cyrus isn't the only celebrity getting married young—many others have joined her in the trend. But are these young celebrities sending the wrong message to teens?

Teens are often stereotyped for doing anything that they see their role models doing, and many teens grew up watching Cyrus on television. Research shows that couples who marry before the age of twenty are three more times likely to divorce than those who marry at age twenty five or later.

In addition, many teens are not experienced in dealing with the issues that come with marriage. Many are uneducated about spending and saving money, which is the most common reason for divorce in the United States. Another significant contributor to divorce is disagreement on having chilren, or the number of children each spouse wishes to have. Many teens are still not ready to have open discussions on these topics.

In Illinois, a couple can file for a no-fault divorce, citing no other reason than irreconcilable differences. This by no means makes it “easy” to file for divorce. Many teens have no idea of the financial and emotional costs of filing for divorce. Even in a no-fault divorce, a couple must live apart for at least six months and will have to go though the process of dividing up assets and if there are children, deciding on child custody issues.

If you are considering filing for divorce, know that an experienced Naperville, Illinois divorce attorney can help you navigate the process of filing. Speak to one of our divorce lawyers in Naperville today to schedule an appointment.