A variety of factors influence the likelihood of a divorce. The duration of the marriage thus far, the values of the spouses and even health matters can have a statistically relevant impact on the likelihood of divorce.
Another factor that influences marital stability is the overall wealth of the couple. People sometimes assume that wealthier couples have more reasons to fight over finances and may therefore be more inclined to divorce than working-class or middle-class couples. However, a review of divorce statistics actually shows that the opposite is true.
Wealthier couples tend to stay married
Couples that enjoy above-average income and household wealth have a lower chance of divorcing than those without any valuable assets and couples that live paycheck to paycheck. That may be due in part to a lack of financial stress. After all, financial issues are one of the top reasons couples divorce.
Lower-income spouses may take issue with how their partners spend money or their inability to obtain higher-paid work. Couples with more wealth don’t have the same pressure related to financial stress. They don’t have to make sacrifices such as choosing between buying new shoes and paying for utilities.
The financial comfort that comes from personal wealth can take a lot of stress off of a marital relationship. Spouses also tend to recognize that they have more to lose if they divorce, as their standard of living might decrease substantially.
That being said, the more wealth couples have, the less they benefit from this statistical advantage. Those who have slightly more wealth than average are less likely to divorce than those who are in the top 1% of all households. High-asset divorces are still somewhat common even if they are less common than divorces between spouses with less wealth.
When they do occur, they tend to be more involved and messy because of the property that spouses have to divide and the standard of living that they hope to preserve. They may require the support of outside professionals to evaluate the marital estate, track down hidden assets and prepare a reasonable divorce strategy.
Those who believe they may be on the cusp of a complex, high-asset divorce may need assistance as they prepare. Understanding what factors influence divorce risk and complicate divorce proceedings may help people make informed choices during times of marital strife.
