For most age groups in the United States, the odds of divorce are consistently falling. There are many reasons for this, not all of which have to do with an increase in stable marriages. For example, young people are waiting longer than ever to get married in the first place, which is definitely having an impact on divorce rates in those age groups. If people wait until their early 30s to get married, you will have far fewer divorces involving couples in their 20s.
However, there is one age group that has seen their odds of divorce increase in recent years. This is the age group including those who are 50 years old and older, and these divorce cases are often referred to as gray divorce. Why is it that these individuals are getting divorced more often when others are getting divorced less?
Potential reasons
There are numerous reasons for this change, as well. For example, life expectancy is increasing. This is going to be reflected in the divorce statistics because these marriages are lasting decades longer than they may have in the past. Also, people who feel that they still have a lot of life left at 50 years old may be more likely to seek divorce if they want to live in a way their partner doesn’t support.
Another thing to consider is that those who are 50 and older are often becoming empty-nesters. Since their 30s, they may have been focused largely on being parents. A lot of times, when the final child heads off to college, parents will have to reassess their own relationship as a couple. This can also lead to divorce because they may have been drifting apart over this time.
It can be complicated
A gray divorce can certainly be very complicated because there are usually far more assets involved. It’s quite important for those who are getting divorced to know what legal steps to take so that you start the next phase of your life on secure footing.