Divorce: how age, work and level of education affect the chances of your marriage failing

The chances of divorce increase if you marry too young or too old, if the husband doesn’t work and if there is a large age gap between you and your partner

Your level of education is another factor: leaving school early increases the risk of divorce, according to research

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Factors including age, employment and education affect the chances of you getting divorced. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 3:00pm, 29 Jan 2020Updated: 3:00pm, 29 Jan 2020

No one can say with 100 per cent certainty that a couple is heading for divorce.

However, social scientists have become pretty good at predicting who’s most likely to wind up there. These couples share certain commonalities – the way they fight and the way they describe their relationship, but also in their education level and employment status.

The cultural dynamics around divorce captivate audiences: This year, Netflix’s Marriage Story earned several Golden Globe and Oscar nominations.

Here are some factors that predict divorce. You can identify these in both movies and the real world.

Couples who marry when they are older than 32 or younger than 20 are at greater risk of divorce. Photo: Shutterstock

Getting married in your teens or after age 32

The best time to get married is when you feel ready, and when you’ve found someone you think you can spend a lifetime with. Don’t force anything – or put it off – because a study told you to do so.

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