Risk Factors for Divorce

 Posted on April 12, 2016 in Marriage

When a couple gets married, there is no way to guarantee whether they will eventually divorce. However, there are certain factors in marriages that have been linked to divorce. These factors generally stem from an imbalance of power, outside factors that have a toll on the marriage, and each individual's ability to make rational decisions. Below are a few factors that can mean that a couple is more likely than others to divorce.

How Old Were You When You Married?

Couples who marry before the age of 25 are more likely to divorce than those who marry in their late twenties and thirties. This is because the human brain is not fully mature until about age 25. At this age, the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for managing impulse control, making decisions, and learning from past mistakes, is completely formed.

At age 25, an individual's likelihood of divorcing stabilizes. In other words, a couple that married when both partners were 27 is not more likely to divorce than a couple that married when both partners were in their early thirties.

Have You Been Married Before?

Second and subsequent marriages are more likely to end in divorce than first marriages. An important contributing factor to these divorces is the present of former partners and children from previous relationships in the couple's life. When conflicts arise between an old and new spouse or a stepparent and their stepchild, it can be difficult to maintain marital harmony.

What Is Your Net Worth?

Couples who have significant assets are less likely than others to divorce. Conversely, couples with a high level of debt are more likely to divorce. This ties in with how material holdings create stress in a household, which can lead to conflict. Couples who fight about money frequently are more likely to divorce than couples who do not, and couples who have a significant income disparity are also more likely to end their marriages due to conflict.

What Is Your Education Level?

Couples with higher levels of educational attainment are less likely to divorce than those without college degrees. This is partially because educated couples tend to have more assets, which leads to a greater level of marital harmony. Educated individuals also tend to marry later in life than their less educated counterparts and tend to choose spouses with similar levels of educational attainment. This final point is especially true for women.

Work with a Kane County Divorce Attorney

Of course, none of the factors discussed above is a guarantee that your marriage is doomed. Couples divorce when they feel that their marriages no longer work, whether that is due to a difference in views and values, infidelity, domestic violence, or substance addiction. If you are considering a divorce for any reason, be sure to discuss it with an experienced Kane County divorce lawyer. Schedule your initial legal consultation with a member of the Goostree Law Group today.

Sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_022.pdf

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-author-speaks/201408/change-your-brain-change-your-life-25