Traditional wisdom among marriage researchers and divorce attorneys has always held that the older a couple is at the time of their first marriage, the more likely they are to stay together. However, according to the divorce lawyers at Knochel Law Office, licensed in Nevada, California, and Arizona, these days the secret to a happy marriage may be waiting, but not too long. New research, published on the blog for the Institute for Family Studies, shows some surprising trends in divorce rates for different age groups.

The research, conducted by University of Utah professor Nicholas Wolfinger, shows that couples who marry at 25 are half as likely to get a divorce as those who tie the knot at 20. For the current cohort, those five years are critical. The odds of divorce drop by another 11% for each additional year they wait, until age 32.

Wolfinger and others were surprised to find that, after that age, the chances for divorce actually increased by 5% for each year couples waited before getting married. This is a major departure from research of just 20 years ago, showing that some major societal changes have taken place. While Wolfinger doesn't know the cause of this major societal shift, he says it may be a function of couples waiting longer to get married due to the economic uncertainty caused by the 2008 recession.

Whether you're thinking of getting married or looking for legal aid with a divorce, visit Knochel Law Office online or call (928) 444-1000 to schedule a consultation today.