If you look only at divorce rates and statistics, it can be easy to assume that everyone has the same general divorce odds. It may seem like something that simply happens to some couples, and that everyone shares a similar level of risk.
But that is not how it actually works. In reality, many different factors can influence a couple’s individual divorce odds, and those factors vary from relationship to relationship. One way to examine this issue is by considering the age at which a couple got married initially.
Marriage prior to age 32
To start with, couples who get married before age 32 technically have higher divorce odds than couples who wait a bit longer. For every year prior to 32, the odds of divorce increase by 11 percent. The divorce odds would be only slightly higher for a couple who married at age 30, but they would be significantly higher for a couple who married at age 21.
Marriage after age 32
This does not mean that it is always better to wait until a later age to tie the knot. The same study shows that divorce odds increase by 5 percent for every year after age 32. While waiting until age 32 can make a marriage more stable, delaying marriage until age 40 would actually increase the risk of divorce again.
Navigating a divorce
This helps to demonstrate some of the factors that can affect divorce odds. If you and your spouse are ending your marriage this year, be sure you understand the legal steps to take as you move through the divorce process.
