Seven Key Reasons People File for Divorce

One of the most commonplace refrains coming from men and women heading towards or who are in divorce is a sense of loneliness. These individuals tend to feel as if they are facing such a unique situation that no one – or very few people – will understand what they are experiencing.

The reality is that if you are facing a divorce, you are far from alone. Indeed, while every marriage dissolution has its own unique factors, there is an array of frequently occurring reasons underlying while people file for divorce. Seven of these more regularly occurring reasons people file for divorce include:

• Financial conflicts
• Infidelity
• Communication breakdown
• Growing apart
• Abuse and toxic behavior
• Addiction and substance abuse
• Incompatibility in intimate life

We discuss each of these primary underlying causes for divorce in turn for your consideration.

Financial Conflicts

32 percent of all people seeking divorces in the United States cite financial conflicts and issues as a primary underlying reason why their marriages are ending. In fact, spouses with financial conflicts represent one of the largest cohorts of people making the decision to file for divorce in the United States, including in New Jersey.

In regard to financial issues resulting in divorce, categories of these types of matters include:

• Different spending habits and financial priorities
• Hidden debt or financial secrets
• Disagreements over budgeting and saving
• Financial stress from job loss or major expenses

Infidelity

In an article published by Forbes at the beginning of 2025, the magazine reported that an extraordinary 60 percent of people seeking divorce in the United States indicate that infidelity is one of the underlying reasons why they seek to end their marriage. With this astounding data noted, infidelity leading to divorce comes in a number of forms:

• Physical affairs
• Emotional affairs
• Online relationships
• Breakdown of intimacy leading to seeking connections elsewhere

Communication Breakdown

On this list of the seven most common reasons underlying collapse of a marriage is a communication breakdown. Indeed, nearly all divorcing couples cite communication issues or a complete communication breakdown as a contributing reason why their marriages ended. Marital communication breakdowns come in many forms and include:

• Inability to discuss problems effectively
• Constant misunderstandings
• Emotional disconnection
• Lack of meaningful conversation

Growing Apart

“We grew apart” is a common refrain among people who end up in New Jersey divorce court. In fact, growing apart is a commonplace reality in the case of many women and men who find themselves contemplating divorce. Examples of ways in which couples identify growing apart include such things as:

• Natural evolution leading to separation:
• Different life goals and values
• Changes in personal growth and development
• Loss of common interests
• Diverging career paths

Abuse and Toxic Behavior

Abusive and toxic conduct results in many people seeking to file for divorce in New Jersey and across the United States. Abuse comes in many different forms that include:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional and psychological abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Controlling behavior and manipulation

Addiction and Substance Abuse

In many instances when abuse is cited as an underlying factor leading to a marriage dissolution proceeding, addiction or substance abuse (or substance use disorder) is also noted. Indeed, an abusive relationship many times is born out of addictive behavior on the part of one of the spouses.  These types of oftentimes co-destructive dependencies affecting the relationship include substance use disorder in the form of:

• Alcohol abuse
• Drug addiction
• Gambling problems
• Impact on family finances and stability

Incompatibility in Intimate Life

Finally, differences in physical and emotional intimacy can be a precursor to divorce. This takes many forms:

• Mismatched expectations
• Loss of physical attraction
• Different needs for emotional closeness
• Medical issues affecting intimacy

Conclusion

While these represent commonplace reasons for divorce, as mentioned at the start of this discussion, each relationship’s circumstances are unique. As was also noted, multiple factors contribute to the final decision to end a marriage. Moreover, the process usually involves careful consideration of various personal, emotional, and practical factors as well. In the final analysis, no matter the underlying reason for seeking a divorce, a skilled New Jersey family law attorney is in the best position to represent your important legal interests – you do not need to go it alone.

If you have questions concerning filing a Divorce in New Jersey, call the Law Offices of Peter Van Aulen today at (201) 845-7400 for a free consultation.