Many people think that mothers account for almost all custodial parents, but data shows that an increasing number of custodial parents are fathers. It is important for mothers as well as fathers to go over data on this trend, which serves as a reminder that every custody case is unique and courts do not inherently favor mothers with respect to custody decisions.
Parents who face issues related to child custody need to make their child’s best interests the top priority, from custody disputes during the divorce process to custody violations after the end of a marriage.
Statistics show an increase in custodial fathers
The U.S. Census Bureau says that fathers account for a higher proportion of custodial parents in comparison to the past. During 2018, fathers made up 20.1% of all custodial parents. However, in 1994, fathers only accounted for 16% of custodial parents. The Census Bureau also reports that during 2018, 26.5% of kids under the age of 21 had a parent living in a different household.
Other data on custodial fathers
The Census Bureau published additional data on custodial fathers. In 2018, custodial fathers were generally older than custodial mothers. Among custodial fathers, 54.6% were over the age of 40, compared to 41.6 of custodial mothers. Furthermore, custodial fathers were less likely to receive public assistance than custodial mothers and more likely to have full-time employment throughout the year.
It is essential for custodial fathers to carefully address any family law issues that arise, from child support matters to custody issues involving the child’s other parent.