May 2026 Global Roundup

Recent family related news included the importance of discussing money issues and attaining financial literacy prior to and during a marriage; the stress on a marriage from caring for aging parents; and devastating news from Afghanistan regarding gender discrimination and divorce.

Belle Burden On 'Strangers,' A Memoir Of Her Divorce

Juana Summer, NPR, May 5, 2026

Burden speaks with Juana Summer about the details of her divorce, her prenup, and the importance of financial literacy for women, even those in happy relationships.

Single Women Are Buying More Houses. The Men They Are Dating Are Not Responding Well

Stefanie O’Connell, The Guardian, May 13, 2026

With all the speculation over declining marital and birthrates in the US, a disconnect between men and women’s expectations of heterosexual relationships is coming into focus. While 31% of gen Z men agree that “a wife should always obey her husband”, young women rank career satisfaction and financial independence as their top personal priorities. A growing body of data shows that men engage in higher rates of infidelity and emotional and physical abuse when outpaced by female partners in traditional markers of wealth and status such as income.

Are Prenups Really Such A Benefit?

Patricia Fersch, Forbes, May 19, 2026

Couples find it harder to discuss money than they do sex, however, it is an important discussion to have. A prenuptial agreement, a contract between future spouses, is entered into before marriage and is a legally binding contract if they marry. It contains disclosures of all property and money you own and owe at the time of the prenuptial agreement. It also sets forth each of your rights and responsibilities as to how money and property will be divided and whether spousal support will be paid to one of the parties by the other.

Un Gravely Concerned By An Afghan Taliban Law That Has Provisions On Child Marriage

Associated Press, NPR, May 22, 2026

The decree “operates in a deeply unequal framework: while men retain the unilateral right to divorce, women must pursue complex and restrictive judicial avenues to separate from a spouse,” the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said. If a girl asks her husband for a divorce and he denies it, “then in this case, there are no witnesses with the girl, the husband's word is valid,” the new law says. “This situation reinforces structural discrimination and limits women’s autonomy in matters fundamental to their dignity, safety, and well-being.”

Divorce: The Surprising Cost Of Caring For Aging Parents

Robert Powell, May 26, 2026

In a newly published paper, “Love Under Pressure: The Effect of Caring for Aging Parents on Marital Quality”Huong Nguyen, a graduate research assistant at Wayne State University cites divorce as a risk factor for caregiving. Her study also found caregivers tend to experience worse mental health and are less likely to work full-time – two pressures she said can strain even strong marriages.