A recent study out of Bowling Green State University indicates that divorce among our aging population is increasing. According to the study, over the last twenty years, the rate of divorce for those older than 50, has increased by more than double.
This contrasts with some decline in the overall divorce rate. An element of the increase can be attributed to the “me generation” and their need to be “personally fulfilled,” said licensed psychotherapist Rachel Sussman
She noted in a CBS news story that when a couple no longer has any children at home, they might stop and reassess their situation. A women may decide she really isn’t very happy with the status quo.
Not that divorce is easy, as the story cautions, parties considering divorce need to look at the big picture and consider all sides of the issue. Economic factors should be carefully examined.
When you dissolve a marriage, you create two households using the same economic resources as the previous single household consumed. This can be a problem if one spouse only works part-time or not at all.
While financial considerations are important, to some degree, they also are driving some of the increase in gray divorces, as many more women now possess the economic power to be able to afford a divorce.
If that is your situation, chances are your overall household finances are probably more complex, and if you decide to divorce, you should speak with an experienced divorce attorney, who can help you accurately examine your assets and liabilities, and develop a plan that will lead to a successful new life after your divorce.
Source: CBS News, “‘Gray divorces’ increasing sharply,” October 13, 2012
