Is it a bad idea to get married young? There are many differing opinions on the subject ”“ the term “shotgun wedding” comes to mind ”“ but as with any other major life decision, no one can tell you whether you are ready to get married. However, you should know that marrying young could have negatives, just as much as it can have positives.
Pros
- Sometimes, marrying young can have excellent benefits. One example would be if you and/or your spouse are a part of the military. Both military service and even just standard benefits like tax breaks can ease the financial strain on young married couples who perhaps have not solidified themselves within their careers yet.
- Couples who marry in their mid-20s tend to report higher levels of happiness, based on results from a study from the University of Virginia.
- Younger parents (not too young, though) are more likely to have healthy children.
Cons
- Yes, it is true that couples who marry young are more likely to end up divorced. However, the difference is smaller than you think; 20 percent of people who marry between 20 and 24 end up divorced, versus 15 percent of people in their upper 20s. All things considered, that’s relatively similar, so don’t give into the doomsday predictions if you feel that marrying young is right for you.
- Younger people have less time to build up their financial portfolios. On one hand, this allows you to reap federal benefits that can ease the stress of starting out your professional life, as well as making property division easier if the marriage doesn’t work out; on the other hand, it invites stressors that you might not experience if you marry when you are more financially stable.
Our experienced Denver family law attorneys seek to provide the ideal client experience for families in Colorado.
