Straight couples are more likely to divorce after a wife's promotion - but there are simple steps you can take to avoid that fate

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Relationship experts weigh in on a trouble trend: chances for divorce rising after a wife gets promoted.

• Heterosexual couples in which the wife earns more than her husband are more likely to report low marriage satisfaction, research shows.
• A woman who gets promoted to a high-level job such as CEO is more likely to get divorced, according to one study.
• Why does this happen? It's the shattering of expectations within a relationship, experts say.
• Heterosexual couples can avoid trouble by taking a few steps: Talk about career ambitions and expectations early on, seek professional help if necessary, and more.
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Women in the workforce have made major gains over the past few years.

2018 was labeled "the year of the woman" for the number of US women shattering records in political office, 2019 saw the ripple of effects of the #MeToo movement across numerous industries, and 2020 kicked off with new data that women have now overtaken men as the majority of the US workforce.

Yet, despite these gains for women, troubling trends persist among heterosexual couples. Indeed, early studies indicate, gender progress - uncomfortable as it might sound - could be straining relationships.