DIVORCE is the best way for a man to improve his financial standing, say researchers.
Separated women, especially mothers, usually end up much worse off after a split.
But a European study shows that men who leave their wives are four times more likely to become richer than those who remain married.
Even fathers fare better because the true cost of bringing up children usually tops what they may have to pay in maintenance contributions.
The financial disparity is mainly due to men being more likely to earn more.
A mother loses the husband's earning power but continue to bear most of the financial burden of bringing up the children.
The findings come from interviews with 76,000 people across 11 European countries by the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
The total annual disposable income of adults was measured over a two-year period for the study.
Getting divorced is "the single most effective thing a man can do to improve his financial standing," researcher Cecile Bourreau-Dubois said.
She said the positive effect of divorce on men's wealth was so marked that it outstripped the financial benefits of either partner getting a better paid job.