Through the centuries, women have been dependent on men and used to look for him to be the breadwinner. Now, several studies from Harvard University, the American Sociological Review and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from 1968 to 2013, findthat when the woman makes more money, the divorce rate tends to rise.
The “Breadwinner Syndrome” might cause wives to divorce their husbands.
Relationship counselor Donna Arp Weitzman said from the 1950s through the 2000s, men have made more money than women. But, income equality is now happening, which might not be good for your marriage.
“As women make more money and have more independence, it almost seems like a natural outcome if they’re unhappy in their marriage or less than satisfied, they would want to strike out on their own,” said Arp Weitzman.
What happens if the wife's job takes off and the husband's doesn't, or he gets laid off?
She said it often leads to resentment between the couple.
“The man feels less than what he should be, and the woman can look at other men as being greater than her husband, or looking at herself and saying, ‘I’m pulling the heaviest load here’,” said Arp Weitzman.
She said don't have unreal or heightened expectations going into marriage. Communicate before and during what is the plan should you make more than him.
A Swedish study found:
Married women twice as likely to get divorced within three years of promotion
Women face more stress “when trying to obtain a highly demanding top job”