If you’re in an unhappy marriage and contemplating or confronted by the prospect of divorce, you may be past caring about the whys and whether it could have been predicted at the time of your marriage.

But a recent study sheds light on precisely those factors.

And the results may be worth considering for those seeking insight.

The study demonstrated a strong inverse correlation between the spouses’ ages at marriage and their level of age education.

Put another way, people marrying at a later age and having greater education are least likely to divorce.

Why? It’s hard to know for sure, but there are several possible explanations.

First, more mature and educated spouses probably earn more money. Money helps overcome or cope with many challenges.

People who wait to marry also probably have evolved into the person they will be, know who they are and have a better idea of what they are looking for in a life partner.

More educated and older people may also have more discipline and commitment, spurring them to work harder at their marriages. Younger, less educated people may be more impulsive and quicker to give up and move on.

Read more in this UK Guardian | Observer article: US study says divorce is linked to age and education.