Although divorce has become a pretty normal part of us, people are getting married without a single thought that they could be on a one-way road to splitsville.
But what if there were a way to know if YOUR relationship was doomed from the start. Well, researchers have identified seven predictors that have statistically proven to be the storm cloud over many marriages.
Researchers from Emory University gathered information from 3,000 American married couples ranging from income to religious attendance to how much they value their partner’s attractiveness to see which factors contributed to divorce.
Here are seven things they found that predict your marriage isn’t likely to stand the test of time.
1. You dated less than three years before getting engagement.
We know you’ve heard of couples who only knew each other for a short time and have made it last for decades. Sadly, they’re the exception to the rule. Really knowing someone before saying “I do” is good insurance and has been found to make couples 39 percent less likely to get divorced than those who dated less than a year.
2. You both don’t earn much.
The study found that the lower the income, the higher the chances of a divorce. Want to cut your risk of getting divorced in half? Get your combined income to $125,000.
3. You both aren’t actively practicing a religion.
Regular churchgoers are 46 percent less likely to split up while those who abstain are 10 percent more likely to have an unsuccessful marriage.
4. You both are materialistic.
This means two different things when it comes to men and women. Men who really want their spouse to be “hot” are 50 percent more likely to get served with papers. While women who want their husbands to be rich are 60 percent more likely to divorce.
5. Your wedding was small …
Research finds that people who had 10 or fewer people witness their nuptials were only 35 percent less likely to get divorced. The odds of your marriage surviving rises along with the number of guests in attendance at your wedding; those with 200-plus guests were found to have 92 percent chance at honoring their vows. (Perhaps, it’s has something to do with not wanting to fail in front of so many people.)
6. … or it was very expensive.
Yes, big weddings are encouraged but don’t break the bank when doing so. Researchers found that the more you spend on your wedding, the more you increase the odds of it ending.
7. You skipped the honeymoon.
People who took time to vacation to celebrate their love were 41 percent less likely to file for divorce than their honeymoon-less counterparts.
Source: Yourtango.com