Some people assume that a second marriage would be less likely to end in a divorce than a first marriage. The idea is that the first marriage may have been a mistake made while they were young – marrying a high school sweetheart, for instance – an error that they didn’t even know they were making. But they learned a lot from that marriage, so the second marriage should be more likely to last.
This theory does make sense, but it does not hold true when you look at the statistics. In fact, the divorce rate for second marriages is notably higher than that for first marriages. It comes in at nearly 65%, according to some statistics, which is about two out of every three marriages. Why is this?
Complex situations
One potential reason is that a second marriage can be more complex. Both people may have children from the first marriage, for example, so they have to co-parent with their ex. Older individuals are also more likely to have businesses and careers that factor in, and they could find that it’s too complicated to balance everything.
Longer life expectancy
Some have also pointed to the fact that people are living longer as a potential reason for divorce. As people head into these later years of their life, they want more control over how their life goes, and that may mean getting divorced. Longer life expectancy extends potential marriages, simply providing more time for divorce.
It’s already an option
Another reason is simply that getting divorced for the first time could be something of a mental hurdle for people. They have to realize the fact that divorce is the best option for their life and move forward with it. Once they’ve already achieved this mindset, it may be easier to get divorced the second time. They do not have to break down any preconceived notions.
What are your options?
If you and your spouse do decide to get divorced, take the time to look into all of the legal options at your disposal. It’s important to protect what you have and set yourself up for a successful future.
