Rise in Couples Choosing to Divorce after Less Than a Year Together

In my experience some couples rush into marriage without considering the  financial consequences that marriage can bring. Couples can get swept away with  the romance of marriage and some turn their focus away from the relationship  towards creating a fairy tale wedding. Having a “perfect” wedding can be  expensive and this can put financial strain upon a newly married  couple.

In the media we regularly see celebrities who marry and Divorce without what appears to  be a second thought. In my experience as a specialist family lawyer the majority  of people who consult me have seriously considered whether their marriage has  irretrievably broken down. People do not issue divorce proceedings unless they  believe that there is no prospect of a reconciliation.

The research suggests that the increasing numbers of couples divorcing after  a short period of time together may be down to the fact that many couples are  choosing to marry a partner that they might not actually know that well.

One in seven people surveyed admitted to having been in a  relationship with their future spouse for less than  a year before getting married, with only 50% of couples even living together  before tying the knot. This supports the suggestion that perhaps some people  might be rushing into marriage.

In some circumstances it may be appropriate for couples to enter into a Pre-Nuptial  Agreement before they marry to set out how they would like financial matters  to be dealt with upon separation. This would be a sensible step for couples who  may not know each other that well at the time of marriage.

Amy Harris appeared on ITV’s Daybreak this morning to discuss research that revealed  that whilst the average length of a marriage before divorce is 14 years, many  couples separate after less than a year.

Amy  Harris is a Family  Solicitor at Slater & Gordon Lawyers in London.

Slater & Gordon have offices nationwide and offer both flexible pricing  and fixed fees for family law and divorce. For a free initial consultation call  freephone 0800 916 9055 or contact  us online and we’ll be happy to help.