Gray Divorce: FAQs + Information

Divorce is rarely a welcome event in a person’s life. For older people who have been married for decades, it can be downright terrifying.

Despite the struggles of separating after many years together, divorce among older Baby Boomers has tripled since the 1990s.

Today, we’re examining the unique phenomenon of “gray divorce” and how it impacts the seniors who choose to separate after long marriages

Divorce rates are going down for younger Americans and middle-aged Americans. However, among those over 50, divorce rates have steadily increased since 1990.

Much of the increase in divorce has been attributed to the Baby Boomer generation, who divorced at unprecedented rates when they were young adults in the 1970s and 1980s. In fact, the divorce rate hit its all-time peak from 1978 to 1982, when the majority of Baby Boomers were in their 20s and 30s.

As aging individuals remarry, the likelihood that they will divorce again goes up. Second marriages have a 60% chance of ending in divorce, while third marriages have an even higher chance.

For many aging adults, divorce has been a long time coming.

Many couples wait until their children have finished college to initiate divorce proceedings. In reality, however, they have been living functionally separate lives for years.

Perhaps the most obvious cause of gray divorce is longer life expectancy. As people live longer, they have more time to grow apart. The average retiree in America can expect to live between 15 to 20 years after retiring.

Huge life changes that happen in later life, like empty-nesting or retiring, can bring latent relationship issues to the forefront. Many couples find that they have nothing to talk about after their children leave home. Other couples have trouble adjusting to the massive changes that retirement brings.

Additionally, many older women have careers and are more financially independent than in decades past. This makes them less likely to remain in unhappy marriages for economic reasons.

Most older individuals are more financially stable than younger people when they seek a divorce. This is both good and bad. While having more assets helps you weather the financial impact of a divorce, it also makes the divorce process more complex.

An experienced divorce attorney is an invaluable asset for individuals seeking a divorce in later life. Laura Spencer Coleman has nearly 20 years of experience providing legal representation in divorce and property distribution in the Florida Panhandle.

Contact Laura’s office today to schedule your initial consultation and to learn your next steps.