Most couples who are about to get married consider many things before tying the knot. These include planning a wedding, a family and several other future endeavors. While the potential pitfalls of marriage might come into a couple’s thoughts, an experienced Tulsa divorce lawyer will tell you that they often are not dwelled upon and perhaps, they should not be.
There has been a longstanding belief that approximately 50 percent of all marriages will end in divorce, but that number might be more of a myth. The New York Times reported that the U.S. divorce rate has been on the decline since the 1980s and that the ratio is closer to one-third of all marriages ending in divorce. Still, that ratio indicates that there is still a decent chance that a marriage will end in divorce. Below are a few things that will make a divorce more likely.
Divorce is more likely to occur in August or March
As the Tulsa family law firm of Fry & Elder reported in a recent blog entry, seasonal divorce does occur. This notion has long been a belief by many divorce attorneys, but University of Washington researchers presented a published study at the American Sociological Association’s annual meeting of “what (was) believed to be the first quantitative evidence of a seasonal, biannual pattern of filings for divorce.” Their research indicated that post summer and winter holiday stress likely plays a factor in the seasonal spikes.
Divorce more likely to occur the greater the age gap
While statistics are not destiny, The Atlantic published an article that the bigger discrepancy in a couple’s age the more likely their chances of divorce become. Couples with a 30-year age difference are 172 percent more likely to get divorced. Those with a 20-year gap in age are 95 percent more likely. Ten years equates to 39 percent more likely. Five years is 18 percent more likely and one year is 3 percent more likely.
The late 20s appears to be the best age to get married
Another research study, this one led by a University of Utah researcher, indicates that those who marry in their late 20s and early 30s increase their odds for a successful marriage. The same study further backed up the notion that those who wed in their teens and early 20s have a much greater chance of their marriage ending in divorce.
Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr.
What does this all mean?
An accomplished and experienced Tulsa divorce lawyer will be the first to tell you that statistics alone are not a predicator for how successful or how bad a marriage can end up. That said, those couples thinking about marriage, should be aware of some of the data. The Tulsa family law firm of Fry & Elder wishes for every couple to enjoy a successful and happy marriage, but in the event that conflict emerges the Tulsa divorce attorneys at Fry & Elder are eager to help you get resolution.
Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. is an acclaimed and experienced Tulsa divorce lawyer who is one of only 19 attorneys in the state of Oklahoma to be named a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Fry also was named Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Tulsa for 2016. Fellow Fry & Elder attorneys James R. Elder, M. Shane Henry and Aaron D. Bundy, along with Fry, have each achieved the esteemed AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®.
Collectively, the group along with T. Luke Barteaux, Lorena Rivas, Kirsten Bernhardt, Katie Egan and Melissa Fell has helped Fry & Elder land a prestigious spot on the U.S. News & World Report’s esteemed list of Best Law Firms from 2014-2016. Contact Fry & Elder today to speak to an experienced Tulsa divorce attorney.