According to the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, the divorce rate among adults aged 50 and older doubled between 1990 and 2010. Roughly one in four divorces in 2010 involved individuals over the age of 50. For me personally, I always thought that once you made it though those rough years with the children or were married for a substantial amount of years, it was ‘til death do you part. Not so. As life expectancy rises, people are finding a new purpose in life in their later years and still feel young and vibrant enough to experience it. Furthermore, as couples approach retirement, they now realize that they will be with each other 24/7. No longer is their time consumed by raising their children or focusing on their careers.
In 2004, the AARP conducted a study titled the The Divorce Experience: A Study of Divorce at Midlife and Beyond. This study determined that it was more females than males initiating a divorce. Women are more independent and financially savvy then ever before. They no longer need a man for financial stability and the men are now being forced to fend for themselves. Now let’s not get ahead of ourselves. As some men get older, they are now on the hunt for younger, prettier women. With the United States having one of the highest divorce rates in the world, people feel comfortable acting on their desires. The negative social stigma that divorce use to illicit doesn’t carry as much weight in this new age.
Deciding to separate from your lifelong partner is a difficult decision. Anyone considering divorce should become as informed and well-advised as possible. Consultation with a family law attorney with knowledge and experience on these issues is a wise first step. Investing in professional, sound advice from the get-go could preserve access to health care and save money for your family in the long run.
Please contact the domestic team at Feldmann Nagel Margulis for assistance with all of your family’s legal needs. Our Colorado divorce lawyers stand ready to help.