You don’t have to get married to see that divorce is on the horizon. In fact, many red flags crop up while you’re dating. Couples often overlook them, get married, and then feel a bit stunned when they file for divorce. The reality is that the signs were there all along.
Maybe you’re already in the second stage: You and your spouse tied the knot. You’re wondering if it’s time to end things. Well, here are some of the most common dating red flags. If you saw any of these in your own relationship, they could explain why divorce now feels like the right option.
1. You met online, and their dating profile was exaggerated.
Maybe some little things just didn’t add up. They said they graduated from college, for instance, but you found out later that they went to college for two years and dropped out. You still liked them as a person, so you ignored it. The problem is that they showed you right away that they were willing to lie for the relationship, and that’s a problem. Do you now have trust issues or are they lying about other things?
2. They wanted to get married immediately.
Some people like to talk about wanting to get married after just one date. They think of this as a positive, as “love at first sight.” The reality is that rushing into marriage means you do not really know each other. The whole point of dating is to see if the relationship works. Getting married quickly may just mean you get to find out that it doesn’t work after the wedding day.
3. They have financial problems.
Maybe they have a lot of debt. Maybe they spend too much money. Maybe both. When you’re dating, you can overlook it. You have your own income and your own money. However, after getting married, their habits impact your finances. There is a reason that money is one of the biggest reasons for divorce.
4. This is not their first marriage or their first divorce.
This isn’t to say that marrying someone who has gotten divorced in the past is doomed to fail. It can work. However, the statistics do make it clear that the rates for second divorces are even higher than first divorces. Someone who has already been through it simply has greater odds of ending a second marriage in exactly the same way.
Divorce is coming
So, maybe you know that divorce is coming, whether or not you saw these red flags. It is very important for you to understand your legal rights and the options you have at a time like this.