The Average Age to Get Divorced

Divorce stats from a variety of studies suggest there are two periods in a marriage when divorce is most common: the first or second year of marriage and then between years five and eight.

The average age to get divorced for the first time is 30 years old. Sixty percent of divorces involve couples between the ages of 25 and 39. This often coincides with when they were married, as the average age to get married for the first time is 27 for women and 29 for men.

While it is interesting to note the majority of divorces happen among adults under the age of 40, approximately 40% of divorces involve couples in their 40’s. Even more significant is that the divorce rate has doubled over the past 20 years for couples in their 50’s and older.

Outside the averages

Some say that getting married is the biggest decision you will ever make. It requires a commitment that involves a lot of negotiation and compromise. For couples getting divorced in their 20s and 30s, lack of preparation is one of the top reasons. Meaning they did not communicate about where to live, having children and their life opinions differed.

Unfortunately, many couples who choose to marry in their 20s often realize all too soon after saying “I do” that they are not compatible, or that their spouse became a different person after tying the knot. Other reasons for a short-term marriage include cheating, addiction problems, or different financial goals and responsibility.

People in short-term marriages usually have no kids, few or no assets, do not own real estate together, and have little in the way of marital debt to complicate the divorce process. This means they most likely will have an uncontested divorce. An uncontested divorce is even easier if you live in a no-fault divorce state, such as California.

Avoiding the costly court process

While the average age to get divorced is 30, many couples are divorced within the first few years of marriage. Going through a divorce no matter what age you are or how long you have been married is never easy, but divorce mediation is a better option than going back and forth in court, especially if yours is an amicable split.

A neutral 3rd party, or a mediator, will guide you through the process to make well-informed decisions that are in the best interest of both you and your spouse.

Once you and your spouse find common ground, you can move forward with negotiating the terms of your marital settlement. Mediation puts you in control of your divorce.

At Green Giraffe Legal Services we provide 3 tiers of pricing for our divorce mediation services depending upon the amount of time you and your spouse need to work through your issues. Our goal is to help you and your spouse finalize your divorce in the quickest and most cost-effective way possible.