Age Gap and Marriage

Age Gap and Marriage

Age Gap and Marriage.  Is there a correlation in age difference and divorce rate?  I am inclined to say yes.

And I am right!

Atlantic Study

According to a study performed by the Atlantic, the greater the age difference between the couples, the greater the odds of them getting divorced.

Starting with a reference point of the same age couple, a couple who has a 1-year age difference has a 3% greater likelihood of divorce.  If there is a 5-year age difference, the risk increases 18%.   10 year age difference yields increased risk of 39%.  If there is a 20-year age difference, the risk increases 95%!

If there is an over 30-year age difference, you really have no hope, as that is more akin to a grandparent-grandchild relationship.

Exceptions to the Rule

With every rule, there are always exceptions.  Actress Joan Collins (age 86) married her fifth (5th)  husband, Percy Gibson (age 54) in 2000 and is still married to him.  Percy is 32 years younger!

Of course, Joan defied all odds, because the risk of divorce increases with each subsequent marriage.  (1st marriages have 50% chance of divorce; 2nd have 67%; and 3rd 74%).

When asked if she was worried about their age difference, she replied, “If he dies, he dies.”

Marriage is Hard Work

I personally know couples that are 10, 15, some 20 years apart which work just fine.  The moral of this story is that marriage is hard work, no matter what age you are.

I’m a divorce lawyer, but I love marriage.  I encourage everyone to work on their marriage, and stay out of my office.