The Austin Lafferty Solicitors & Estate Agents Blog

A couple from Italy who are to divorce at the ages of 99 and 96 look set to become the world's oldest divorcees, a record previously held by a British couple who were both aged 98 when they divorced, reports the Telegraph.

The marriage of the Italian couple had not been without its problems, but the final blow came when the 99-year-old man found old letters indicating that his wife had had an affair during the 1940s. Despite the amount of time that had passed, he immediately requested a divorce, bringing an end to 77 years of marriage.

Recent research from America has found that around two thirds of cohabiting couples were put off marriage because of concerns about dealing with the social, legal, emotional and economic consequences of a possible divorce.

Researchers at Cornell University and the University of Central Oklahoma found that approximately 67% of the study’s respondents shared their worries about divorce. Despite the concerns, middle-class subjects spoke more favorably about tying the knot and viewed cohabitation as a natural stepping stone to marriage compared to their working-class counterparts. Lower-income women were more likely to view marriage as a "trap," fearing that it could be hard to get out of if things go wrong or it would lead to additional domestic responsibilities but few benefits.

The study also found working-class cohabitating couples were more apt to view marriage as “just a piece of paper,” nearly identical to their existing relationship. They were twice as likely to admit fears about being stuck in marriage with no way out once they were relying on their partners’ share of income to get by.