Divorce Calculator shows odds your marriage will last
Filed under: Extracurriculars
Marriage may be hard work, but divorce can be financially cataclysmic. Can't happen to you,? That kind of denial is one reason that divorce brings about economic disaster, since planning for that eventuality seems disloyal. Nonetheless, 43% of first marriages in the U.S. end within 15 years, according to the CDC. One in five will end within five years, one in three with ten years.
The statistics vary according to a number of variables, and divorce360.com has created a Marriage Calculator (which I'd call a divorce calculator) that, based on the averages taken from census data, will give you odds on your marriage lasting. Enter gender, date of marriage, education, age when married, and number of years married to calculate the estimate.
Latest Celebrity Divorces
Blake Fielder-Civil and Amy Winehouse
Divorcing | 17 months
After several rehab attempts (for both), drug videos (of her) and a jail stint (him), the 'Rehab' starlet tells News of the World her erratic marriage "is over."
Getty Images
Ivana Trump and Rossano Rubicondi
Divorcing | 7 months
Trump confirms a swirl of rumors, saying she filed for legal separation three months after marrying the Italian businessman in April of 2008.
Getty Images
Jodie Sweetin and Cody Herpin
Divorcing | 16 months
Almost making it to their 1.5 year anniversary, the ex-'Full House' starlet files divorce papers.
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Paris Hilton and Benji Madden
Split | 9 Months
Just a month after Madden tells PEOPLE he's head over heels, Paris has let the Good Charlotte guitarist go.
David Livingston, Getty Images
Sharon Stone and Chase Dreyfous
Split | 5 Months
Hollywood cougar Stone cooled her relationship with Dreyfous, 26 years her junior, after ex-husband Phil Bronstein successfully questioned her parenting skills during a custody hearing over their son, Roan.
Jean Baptiste Lacroix, WireImage
A.J. DiScala and Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Divorced | 3 Years
Sigler and DiScala divorced in 2006 after a short marriage and now the 27-year-old actress says she's "glad" they didn't have kids.
Vince Bucci, Getty Images
Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood
Split | Dating Almost 2 years
The pair ended their relationship to focus on their careers.
John Shearer, WireImage
Sienna Miller and Balthazar Getty
Split | Dating Almost 4 months
After setting a gossip firestorm with pics of a topless Sienna kissing married Balthazar, the couple has ended their scandalous romance.
Getty Images (2)
Eric Cubiche and Jaime Pressly
Separated | Three Years
The 'My Name Is Earl' starlet and her fiance are "taking a break" from their relationship, but remain committed to raising their son, Dezi James, together.
Getty Images
Danny Bonaduce and Gretchen
Split | 16 Years
Danny Bonaduce's wife Gretchen filed for divorce in 2007 and cited irreconcilable differences. He has now agreed to pay $16,000 a month in child support and alimony.
Getty Images
For example:
- If you are a male high-school dropout married after 1980, at the age of 20 or younger, and have been married for five years --13% of people with your background have already divorced, and 26% will be divorced over the next five years.
- If you are a female without children married after 1980 with a high school diploma who was 22 to 24 at the time of your marriage and have been married two years so far -- 2% of those with similar backgrounds have divorced already, and 13% more will do so over the next five years.
- Female with kids, married 1960-1979, college grad, married at 23 or 24, and have been married now for 30 years-- 28% of those sharing your background have already divorced, and 2% more will divorce over the next five years.
I'm pleased to report that 0% of those sharing my background will divorce in the next five years.
Of course, these are very coarse projections, but if you are in a category with high divorce rates, you might want to learn a little more about why marriages fail so you can head off possible destructive conflicts.
Read more:




Reader Comments (Page 1 of 13)
11-29-2008 @ 9:19PM
Sharon said...
We married at 20 and 21 with the intention of staying together forever. Here we are at 76 and 77 together. We have had lots of ups and downs along with five kids.
Nowadays it seems that people consider divorce an easy fix if things don't work out. Even with other contracts commitments don't seem firm.
Reply
11-30-2008 @ 9:21AM
Paul said...
I can relate. Me and my wife have been married over 16 and a half years and have had our ups and downs with four daughters(yes, I said daughters) we are struggling, but we are doing it together. Marriage isn't given to you, it is something you definitely work at with your spouse. I am by far the best husband in the world to live with, but I try to be more loving and understanding to my spouse and my children even though sometimes their complaints are just ridiculous.
12-02-2008 @ 2:21PM
Bruce said...
It boils down to what you believe in! When you said for better or worse, do you believe that? We have been married for 20 years with 3 children. The years now only add joy and after 20 years, I know when to press or when to start asking for forgivness. I sure most don't want to hear this part but it's a fact. We both answer to a higher power and I am not about to break a promise to him, my wife or my kids.
12-06-2008 @ 12:18AM
JoAnn said...
may god still bless you two. just like my mom and dad 50 years +... they still in love...
12-02-2008 @ 4:26PM
RIPO12 said...
that must have been a good year to get married. We were both 20 & now we'r 77. FYI we went together 28 days befor we were married. :-)
12-02-2008 @ 4:50PM
Turk said...
Yes. I totally agree !
12-02-2008 @ 5:29PM
Joon kim said...
hey that is awesom. so long and still in love.
well i think any marriage or any relationship cannot go on without ups + downs. even if u say u love someone, its really hard to explain what love is. i think love is something u cannot explain with words. you just know it. my suggestion is just be faithful and understanding to ur partner. me and my wife married when we were very young. i was 21 and my wife was 19. we are still very happy together. we have our ups and downs but we manage to figure out a way to overcome those obstacles. its very hard, but if you trust ur partners and have faith in the relationship, u will last. ( my opinion )
12-03-2008 @ 7:40AM
FB said...
The majority of couples marrying today make a mockery of the wedding vows and the church they marry in.
WORRIED ABOUT TRAILER THEFT?? You need to:
http://www.carrythebigstick.com
12-02-2008 @ 6:42PM
Laura said...
Hello, Sharon. I am delighted to hear your story. My (ex) husband and I were divorced after 12 years of marriage. Ten years have gone by, and there isn't a minute that we didn't miss each other and love each other. Time, and enduring love have taught us that none of the things that we thought we important enough to split up over are important enough to live apart any more. We will re-marry early next year, only this time, there's no divorce in our future. Age and love have taught us a lot, and we look forward to growing old(er) together. I'm already in my mid fifties, and I was his first and only wife.
Imagine the look on the Clerk of Court's face when we show the papers proving that we really are divorced, from each other. :-)
12-03-2008 @ 9:00AM
Tom said...
That billboard is funny...
Have you seen the story on how a Man Steals From Billboard Operator? ...It was a Bad Idea
http://www.curiousread.com/2008/11/man-steals-from-billboard-operatorbad.html
12-06-2008 @ 11:19PM
Grace Donnelly said...
I whole heartedly agree with you. Marriage is the toughest job you ever take on. We were both 23 when we married; had known each other since the first grade. Had a 10 year separation when he left to go to school in another town. Met again when he was out of the service and working. Married at 23 and started a family. Eventually 5 children completed our group. Our commitment was forever from day ONE. It wasn't easy but we promised never to go to bed angry at one another and at times that was almost impossible. We stuck to it and here we are 58 years later thanking God for each other , the children and grandchildren and the life we've had together.
12-16-2008 @ 3:25PM
donna said...
CONGRATS TO YOU & YOURS!!!! You are so right about people and relationships today, it's the mind set that"it's broke just throw it away, I can always find a new one". It's easier to walk out then to be strong and fight for the love you had or have. My grandparents were married 58 years when my granddad found out he had cancer, for their 59th anniversary he had everyone gather for dinner and cake at a local restaurant to honor their 59th since he knew he would not make it for their 60th. It was soooo GREAT, to see the look in their eyes that day and granddad holding grams hand. If only people now a days would value each other, love, trust and faith more maybe we would have more marriges lasting and less CHILDREN suffering through these messy divorces.
11-30-2008 @ 3:24AM
Terry said...
I believe there are to many factors to a marriage today. My parents have been married to each other for over 50 years now, as time passes they seem to get closer. I have been married twice now, and I believe this one will last.
I believe if I had married when I was young it would have lasted. I had no skills, and was in the Army. Things came up like distance ( different states), school (she needed to finish), and me being overseas pretty much killed the one marriage I believe which have stood the test of time if it had the chance to get started. I waited till I had skills, a job, and was 32 to marry. I married a woman on her 3rd marriage my frist. That should have been my frist red flag. She had 2 kids, and we had 3 more together. We made very good money, but she liked to spent it faster than we made it. Along with many many other conflicts our marriage was doomed. I left 3 times and came back 3 times the last time I left I never returned. We fought in court long and hard and made several lawyers rich. In the end I left with my tools and truck and clothes on my back. We fought over the kids and she used them horribly. Thier childhood was really rotten. She had all of them in the nuthouse at one time or another. I would get my lawyer to get them out and get custidy. There childhood was ruined, they payed the price for our hate of each other. They are adults now and can see her in her real light.
I remarried also, the difference is night and day. I havn't ever fought and yelled and destroyed anything in 10 years so far. It used to be a daily event, I hated even coming home when I saw her car in the driveway. 4 years and 450 thousand dollars freed me from her.
So my advise to anyone considering marriage is..... know who you are marrying, people change after they get that ring on and think they own you. To a degree, if you are truly in love go for it. Broke or not. As long as they arn't a mental case or something. In my case I lose everything I worked for for 13 years and still have no retirement.
I really think they should make it as hard to get married as it is to get divorced.
Reply
11-30-2008 @ 9:20AM
Paul said...
I totally agree with you terry. I got married at 19, went to the army for a little while. Had no skills, came back a cocky and angry guy who seen my wife and mother in law in a different light. Lived with the inlaws for 4 mos, fought just about every day. Couldnt hold a job until I worked for the factory for 13 years. Spent time in jail for domestic violence which really woke me up about my temper. For some reason, me and my bride are still together throughout all the ups and downs. We are still having monetary issues among other things but we are working at it, still after 16 and a half years. I commend the wife on staying with me that long.
12-02-2008 @ 2:26PM
Dora said...
Terry, you are right. My husband and I are in our second marriages and it's great!! I also married young 20 thinking it would last forever! I left everything behind with alot of grief from family members. My new husband is great and we do everything. The important thing is he was my best friend first.
12-02-2008 @ 3:18PM
Gabbi said...
I love what you said about know who you are marrying....I've been with my boyfriend for 12 years and I have never pushed him to proposed but I'm still affraid to get married ....not because he's bad on the contrary he is an amazing human being.. and I love him to pieces but my fear is that as soon as we get marry our lives will turn up side down... seeing so many other marriages fail I'm scare of being another statistic...but my love for him is so big that if he proposes I will say I do....
12-02-2008 @ 3:26PM
Tom H. said...
wow! Sorry for your loss Bud.....but $450,000.00 dollars is nothing.......consider $2 to $3 million and your talking serious money hurt.....
12-02-2008 @ 4:42PM
Nat said...
Thanks!! I really enjoyed reading your post and it confirmed to me so much more that I am ready to marry my fiance and vice versa. We feel like we can never get enough of eachother and its almost sickening but true. The only problem we are facing is school. It seperates us from eachother both because of the distance and because of the stress and work it involves so we have put the wedding off for another year and a half which is really hard on both of us....(we're in our mid 20's by the way and have been together for almost 5 years!)
I am sorry to hear you went through all that pain and suffering in your first marriage but I am happy you are out of that and into a whole new life. Good luck and thanks for sharing your story!! May everyone find their soulmate and never have to deal with a divorce.
12-02-2008 @ 11:34PM
Tiffany said...
Gabbi I really hope you see this: Love has no fear. Perhaps you haven't found the right one yet.
12-02-2008 @ 7:57PM
Alexa said...
My husband and I married at 19. (we are 2 days apart). We have been married a year now and although many think of us as "newlyweds" we have been through a lot this year. He is a US Marine currrently serving his second tour in Iraq (We have been together since before he went to bootcamp) and I believe everyday we become stronger together. I know for a fact that 30 years from now we will still be in love with each other. Enjoying every minute we have, because we know what its like to not have each other everyday. We know how precious love and marriage are. You have to communicate in a relationship. You have to meet each other needs, and not just your own. And I know we have what it takes, its sad so many people rush into marriage and divorce 5 years later. I enjoyed reading some of your comments. Especialy those who have therir true love now, no matter if its marriage 1 or marriage 3.