A common piece of advice that people give is that couples should not get married too young. In fact, many parents will strongly advise this if an 18-year-old child expresses a desire to get married or announces an engagement. Technically, that individual is an adult and can make any decision they want, but that doesn’t mean getting married young is wise.
The reasoning is simple: The divorce rate is highest for couples that marry young. That’s not to say none of these make their marriages work. But, statistically speaking, it’s less likely that they’ll stay married, and the odds of getting divorced drop if they wait and grow a bit older before tying the knot.
The trend does reverse itself
What is very interesting about the statistics, though, is that they flip if you wait too long to get married. Divorce rates keep going down for every year a couple waits to marry until they’re 32 years of age. After that point, though, the divorce rates start going up again every year that someone waits to marry.
You may think that waiting until you’re 40 just makes it even more likely you and your spouse won’t split up, but it’s not true. You’re actually heading back toward the divorce rate you would have seen if you’d married as a teenager.
Understanding your rights in a divorce
Again, statistics are not everything. They can provide insight, but there are plenty of couples who get divorced even though they got married at the “ideal” age. If you’re contemplating divorce, make sure you know what your rights are and what legal options you have to protect your future.
