Some people blame financial stress for ending their marriage, and they essentially think that they would’ve stayed married if they were wealthier. Maybe they lost their job and couldn’t make ends meet, so their spouse left them to seek a new relationship.
This seems logical, but studies have found that the opposite may be true in many cases: Having more wealth makes divorce more likely. Financially successful couples may have greater divorce odds despite their apparent financial stability. Why is this?
Stability after the divorce
One of the big things to remember is that wealthy couples often take for granted that they will each have financial stability even if they get divorced. Say that you and your spouse have a net worth of $20 million. Even if you don’t get the exact division of assets you want, you don’t have to worry about running out of funds just because your marriage ended.
On the other hand, many low-income couples live paycheck to paycheck and need both jobs just to pay the bills at the end of the month. They feel financially trapped in their marriage.
Time apart
It’s also worth considering that time apart often causes a couple to divorce. If they’re wealthy because they are both very busy with their careers, they may spend more time commuting, working at the office, or even traveling abroad than they do together. If you’re in this situation, you may never experience financial stress, but your marriage could end just because you and your spouse will lose that personal connection over time.
Getting divorced with significant assets is often very complex, and you must understand exactly what steps to take to protect your current and future interests.