The rise of gray divorce is divorce tough for couples 50 and above
1. The Rise of Gray Divorce:
Is Divorce Tough
for Couples 50 and
Over?
In this day and age, does the “till death do
us part” line still exist? Is there such thing
as a love that lasts forever?
Kim H. Buhler,
Attorney at Law, P.C.
The Clock Tower at
CottonTree Square
2230 North University
Parkway, Suite 2A
Provo, UT 84604
Phone: 801-960-3346
2. A Surprising Statistic
Two decades ago, statistics showed that one in every 10 people
faced divorce at 50 years old and above. A poll released a year
ago showed gray divorce happened to one in four couples.
As Stephanie Coontz mentioned in The New York Times: “I don’t
necessarily think this will accelerate, but I don’t expect it to go
down. Staying together until death do us part is a bigger
challenge than it used to be because we expect so much more of
marriage than we did in the past, and we have so many more
options when a marriage doesn’t live up to those expectations.”
No matter how many times a person thinks of a happy ending,
divorce may still happen. No one makes it a goal in life, but it does
not happen by accident. Relationship gurus claim that problems in
marriage can pile up quickly, especially when couples forget
important things or pretend that everything is fine when it’s not.
That will eventually escalate to divorce or separation.
Though the number of divorce cases in the United States has been
declining in the past few years, researchers are seeing a new trend
— gray divorce.
3. The Challenges are Different
Divorce can be a stressful and devastating event. What more for
couples in their 50s and 60s?
The recent study reveals that divorcing after 50 can be difficult,
as it simply means dealing with serious financial issues. For
younger couples divorcing, both can support themselves outside
of marriage by finding a new job. For seniors, they need to argue
about dividing retirement plans, health insurance, property, as
well as debt.
No matter how parents to help their children, whether in school
or work-related finance, their first priority will be a healthy
retirement. Family attorneys explain that when couples divorce
after 50, they may find it nearly impossible to recover. Divorce
proceedings and other legal fees may also become additional
expenses, which make the process even more complicated for
older couples.
