[kemayo]

> It's not clear to me what reason a rational person has for NOT getting divorced after enough time has elapsed that alimony is possible.

I mean, assuming that you like your spouse, it's a perfectly rational decision to stay with them despite it being possible to make money by leaving them. It's economics-paper level sociopathy to suggest that "I could maximize my personal income by divorcing the person I love" is an action to be taken.

[intrasight]

>It's economics-paper level sociopathy

Indeed. Ask my ex-wife (an economist) how that worked out for her.

[Tostino]

Thanks for the laugh. I really wish this type of thinking weren't so common in the population, but the fact is, it is pretty common. You need to account for it.

[javajosh]

Believe it or not, love is not a constant, it's a time-dependent function.

[imtringued]

You have ruined your own argument though. Divorce because you no longer love your husband is a completely different thing than divorcing because of monetary incentives.

[ryanwaggoner]

In which direction?

And is that universally true? Does it apply to all relationships, like parents for their children?