The Rev Donald Roberts, pastor of the Clifton New Testament Church of God on Mannings Hill Road, St Andrew, believes there are several advantages and disadvantages to marrying later in life as there are for settling down early. The real issue is not age, he advises, but both persons' level of maturity.

"Any of the problems couples in either situation might find themselves in can be dealt with in premarital counselling, so the real problem is not age, but mental preparation," said the cleric.

Challenges for ...

Young couples

Persons might not have had the chance to venture into the responsibilities, disappointments or achievements which contribute to growth and maturity.

Couples who have not finished their education might be sidetracked by unplanned pregnancies which, in turn, disrupt life achievements and hinder education and career development.

Couples might not be capable of taking on the challenges of marital and even sexual responsibilities. Also, getting married based on infatuation rather than love is likely to occur.

There are times when family members get involved in the marriage and create problems for the couple. This is particularly so for girls whose parents tend to be protective of them.

Mature couples

Older persons tend to have habits and a level of independence that is hard to readjust for partners and interdependence might become hampered.

Prenuptial agreements need to be properly taken into consideration, for instance, if children and other family members are present. So if a partner dies, those left behind are not in conflict over possessions.

Older persons are more likely to have health problems and each partner has to decide whether he or she is willing to live with certain ailments.

Sex also poses a problem because there might be issues such as impotence for the male and hormonal changes in the woman which make the act of sex difficult or unpleasant.

Advantages for ...

Young couples

There is a longer time to spend together, getting to know each other as a couple, before becoming parents.

There is also a lesser chance of either partner having the baggage of past sexual exploits to add to the relationship.

Mature couples

Even though sex is a factor, greater emphasis tends to be placed on improving the quality of the friendship between both partners which will last even when sex fades.

The challenges of childrearing might be far less because children, if any, would be adults and living on their own, placing less strain on finances and time spent together.

Couples might be more secure, emotionally and psychologically, to deal with the rigours of marriage because of growth, years of experience and development, compared to their younger counterparts.