5 Marriage Red Flags to Look Out For

 When a marriage is on shaky ground, it’s tempting to find a scapegoat: the attractive receptionist at his job, her nosy mother... The truth is, though, that there’s a lot that goes into a marriage, and so much that goes into ruining one. A lot of these factors were there before you even walked down the aisle, such as:

1. Financial Disagreements

If you’ve been arguing about money from the beginning of the relationship or at least of the marriage, odds are that those problems aren’t going to be sorted out just because you’re now husband and wife. According to Kansas State University, early financial troubles led to dissatisfaction in the marriage down the road. Additionally, financial trouble was the number one predictor of divorce, regardless of income level.

2. Getting to the Altar Quickly

Emory University found that divorce rate is inversely related to how long the couple was together before marriage. Couples who are together for at least three years before getting married are 39% less likely to divorce when compared to couples who were together for less than a year before marriage.

3. Wildly Different Drinking Habits

When one spouse is a heavy drinker and the other is not, divorce is more likely, according to the University of Buffalo. The problem is the habit, not the alcohol - in marriages where both people are heavy drinkers, the couple is less likely to divorce than when the habit of drinking varies widely.

4. Asking for a Prenup

When one person wants a prenup and the other isn’t fully on board, trouble is often waiting down the line. Marital satisfaction heavily relies on financial generosity, according to the New York Times. Plus, couples who put their resources together tend to be happier and solid in the marriage than those who keep their money separate. According to the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, married couples who keep their bank accounts separate have a 145% higher chance of getting divorced.

5. Being Far Apart in Age

The wider the age gap, the more likely a divorce is. According to Emory, couples with “substantial” age gaps - of at least ten years - have a 39% higher chance of getting divorced than spouses of the same age.

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