It doesn’t matter how long you have been married, there is always a possibility of getting divorced. Whether you have been married for 5 year or 50 years, you should never think that you are too young or too old to get divorced in Washington.
However, the risk of getting divorced fluctuates depending on the length of your marriage. Here is some information about how the length of your marriage can have an effect on the likelihood of getting divorced.
Times that are high risk
The two time periods that have the highest risk of divorce is during the first two years of marriage, and between the 5th and the 8th year of your marriage. The first two years of marriage can be very difficult to navigate, due to the fact that you and your partner are still figuring out how to adjust to your new lifestyle. Prenuptial agreements usually don’t activate until after a year of marriage, so some couples may wait a year or two before pursuing a divorce.
The length of time between your 5th and 8th year of marriage it’s also very risky when it comes to divorce. Decades worth of studies show that the average length of a failed marriage is somewhere between 5 years and 8 years long. Some researchers theorize that around the 7-year mark, relationship satisfaction begins to decline, which can lead to an increased number of divorces.
Times that are average or low risk
Married couples typically begin to have children around year three. Raising a newborn child can potentially increase relationship stability as well as decrease the chance of divorce, so there isn’t a high risk of divorce during this time period. If your marriage is able to last after the 7-year mark, the chances of getting divorced begin to decrease.
This is especially true for people who get past their 10-year anniversary. However, the amount of people who get divorced after 20 years of marriage is quickly rising, due to people not wanting to spend their later years with someone who makes them unhappy.
This information is based on years of data and research, but there is no exact formula to determine whether a relationship will last or not. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t let this discourage you from getting married, but rather as motivation to try to make your marriage last.
