Planning a wedding is usually a time filled with bliss and excitement. For couples getting ready to take the big steps into married life, divorce is the last thing on their minds. However, recent reports show that, statistically, there is an increased chance for divorce if the couple is close to someone who recently got divorced. Residents of Texas might want to consider a prenuptial agreement, just in case.
A recent article stated that knowing someone who is newly divorced significantly increases the chance of divorce for married couples that are close to them. After research was done on three decades of families and friends, it was determined that the increased odds of divorce is upwards of 75 percent if the married couple is close friends or family to the divorce. Even if it is a friend’s friend who is divorced, the increased odds are still at 33 percent.
Researchers have clearly stated that the sample population used for their data was small, and probably not consistent across the U.S. as a whole. Overall, however, there is a significant possibility that divorce is contagious. With this information, thinking about divorce before actually getting married might not be a bad idea.
For local Texas residents, and people across the region as well, the idea of a possible divorce doesn’t have to deter one from getting married. It should simply make one aware of how a prenuptial agreement could save a lot of hassle and heartache should things not work out. Crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s can ultimately make life easier in the end.
Source: Pew Research Center, Is divorce contagious?, Rich Morin, Oct. 21, 2013