This month, another study was released showing that the number of couples filing for the divorce after the age of 50 continues to grow, even while the divorce rate in the United States is dropping in all other age groups. It seems that as younger couples are avoiding divorce, more older couples are ending their marriages after decades of being together.
What is causing this new trend of “grey divorce?”
- More women have careers and financial stability. In past generations, many women were forced to stay in unhappy marriages because they simply didn’t have the means or ability to leave and be out on their own. These days, a much large percentage of women have their own careers and their own money, making it more plausible to support themselves and their children without their husband’s help.
- People are living longer and healthier lives. The average lifespan is growing, and more and more Americans are still healthy and active in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. At the same time, fewer people are widowed young. The result is that couples are living together for 40 and 50 years—and many know that even if they divorce, they could have decades of healthy years left to restart their lives and find happiness.
- Older couples don’t have to consider children’s needs. Many couples are holding off on divorce until their children leave the nest and establish their own lives—and in a large number of cases, this doesn’t occur until parents are in their 50s.
- There is less of a stigma surrounding divorce. Even a generation ago, divorce was seen as a dark and shameful decision—one that shouldn’t even be discussed. Today, many more people understand that divorce is sometimes necessary and sometimes best for everyone involved, including children.
- Fewer couples are staying married for religious reasons. It wasn’t so long ago that getting a divorce could affect your standing at your church—and with your god. Now, divorce isn’t just more accepted by society at large, it is also more accepted in places of worship.
Starting the divorce process after many years of marriage is difficult for a number of reasons and can be more complex, due to a couple’s amount of property and assets. To get help with your divorce and to ensure that you are treated fairly, speak with a Seattle divorce attorney today. Call the Law Offices of Molly B. Kenny today to schedule an appointment: 425-460-0550.
