Arizona couples could be more vulnerable to having their marriage come to an end if the husband does not work full time according to a study that was published in 2016. There were fewer barriers to divorce for women starting in the 1970s including more social acceptance of divorce and more economic freedom for women. However, this economic freedom did not appear to correlate to higher divorce rates.
Household chores did not appear to be a significant factor either. In couples in which the husband worked less than full time, there was a 3.3 percent chance that the marriage would end in divorce in any given year. When the husband had a full-time job, that number dropped to 2.5 percent.
It is possible that the perception that men should be breadwinners might create a strain on a marriage. If the husband’s lack of work is causing financial problems, divorce might also be a consequence.
If the relationship ends over financial issues, they may crop up during the divorce as well. Arizona is a community property state, and this means that assets acquired during the marriage will generally be considered the property of both spouses unless there is a prenuptial agreement. There are a few exceptions, such as inheritances that are kept separate from other marital property. However, in general, income and property will need to be divided between the two spouses even if only one primarily earned the money. Furthermore, one spouse might be required to pay support to the other until that spouse completes training or education to reenter the workforce. Child support may be another issue. The nonworking parent may be the child’s main caregiver and may end up with custody, so the noncustodial parent may need to pay child support.