If you worry about your ability to secure a favorable outcome during your custody dispute as a father, you need to stay focused on your case and examine some of the factors that influence custody decisions. Prioritize the best interests of your child and try to safeguard them throughout the divorce process as much as possible. Moreover, try to remain optimistic and note that an increasing number of men have become custodial parents in recent years.
When awarding custody, courts take many factors into account, but both fathers and mothers have the ability to secure custody irrespective of their gender.
More fathers have become custodial parents
According to information published by the U.S. Census Bureau, a higher proportion of custodial parents were fathers during 2018 in comparison to previous years. During 2018, fathers accounted for 20.1% of all custodial parents. In 1994, however, fathers only accounted for 16% of all custodial parents. If you worry that winning a custody battle is impossible solely because of your gender, keep these statistics in mind.
Other statistics on custodial fathers
The Census Bureau also reports that custodial fathers in 2018 were, on average, older than custodial mothers. While 41% of custodial mothers were at least 40 years old, 54% of custodial fathers were at least 40 years old. Moreover, 18.5% of custodial fathers were currently in a marriage. During 2017, custodial fathers were less likely than custodial mothers to receive public assistance and they were more likely to have full-time employment. It is important to remember that courts take a look at the financial status of each parent when making custody decisions.
