When you ask experts about the average length of a marriage, they’re quick to point out that every situation is different. Some couples get married at 18 years of age and will divorce a year later. Others will stay married for 20 years or a lifetime. No two situations are the same. 

However, you can compile all of these numbers and find an average that generally tells you how long a marriage is expected to last. And, in the United States, that average is currently eight years. This only considers marriages that do end in divorce, not those that last until one spouse passes away.

Is this just the seven-year-itch?

Odds are that you’ve heard people talk about the seven-year-itch. It’s not a scientific idea, but rather a cultural idea that can be traced back to a movie from the 1950s. The general idea is just that people get this itch for something new after they’ve been together for seven years, so that’s when a lot of affairs happen and when people choose to split up. 

There has been speculation that this is actually pretty accurate, though. If the divorce process takes roughly a year, and if you assume that people may wait for at least a few months before filing for divorce, it’s possible that many people get the seven-year-itch and then wind up officially divorcing after eight years. 

Are you getting divorced?

Again, every marriage is different. You could get divorced long before or long after seven years of marriage. No matter when it happens to you, the key is to make sure you know about all of the legal steps you should take as you prepare for the future. An attorney can help you understand more.