Some say it’s 50 percent. Some say it’s much lower. The truth is, as Glenn T. Stanton explains on The Federalist, the divorce rate can be measured many different ways and easily skewed to paint a dismal picture. Despite the national divorce rate, however, one’s personal risk for divorce can be determined by an evaluation of major life factors. Below are a few:

• Cohabitation: Couples who live together before marriage have a 50-80 percent higher likelihood of divorce than non-cohabiting couples.
• Premarital Counseling: Those who undergo premarital counseling before tying the knot are 30 percent more likely to experience successful marriages.
• Religion: Couples who regularly attend religious services and share a strong faith system are 47 percent less likely to divorce.

According to Stanton, “Many people of serious faith and practice… have a tremendously high likelihood of lifelong marital success because of their views regarding sex outside of marriage, resistance to cohabitation, the sacred, covenantal nature of marriage, and marriage’s importance as a vocation.”