Many different things can increase the odds of divorce for a couple. If one person has an occupation that causes them to travel a lot, for example, that can put some stress on the marriage. This is one of the reasons that military couples often get divorced because they have to spend so much time apart when the military member is deployed.
But another consistent factor that has to be considered is the age that the couple was when they got married. Studies have found that getting married at a young age means someone will have much higher divorce odds than if they had waited until they were a bit older.
Declining by 11% per year
What researchers have essentially found is that, for every year that someone waits to get married after they turn 18, their odds of a divorce drop by 11%. In this sense, even waiting until 20 or 21 would be beneficial.
However, the study found that the ideal age to get married was 32 years old. This is when the odds of divorce are lowest. It also corresponds with marriage trends in the United States right now.
Intriguingly, after someone turns 32, their odds of divorce start going back up once again. They do not go up as quickly as they fell before, but the odds rise by roughly 5% per year. This is why 32 is seen as the ideal age – although there are certainly still couples who get married at 32 and end up getting divorced.
What options do you have?
Are you and your spouse heading toward a divorce this year? Be sure you know exactly what legal options you have and how to address this situation.
