When you look at divorce trends in the United States, it’s interesting to note that older couples have a rising divorce rate. This means that there are more divorces for those who are 50 and older – often termed “gray divorce.” This is affecting the Baby Boomer generation more than others. Younger generations of Americans actually have a declining divorce rate.
But why is this happening? What is it about this age group that is causing them to get divorced so often?
Changing opinions on divorce
For one thing, perspectives on divorce have changed over the years. Older couples may have wanted to split up in their 30s, but they lived at a time when that was socially taboo. Divorce is now very common and acceptable, so that may contribute to a lot of these cases.
Different goals
Another potential issue is that couples have different goals for the end of their life. They may realize that these goals are not compatible. They were able to have a happy marriage at an earlier stage in their life, but they now have a very different vision for those final 20 years and they want to live it on their own.
Becoming empty nesters
Similarly, many of these older couples have recently seen their children, get married and move out or go to college. They’ve become empty nesters. They may have already had certain problems or conflicts in their marriage, but things didn’t seem too serious because the children were around and they were a constant distraction. Becoming empty nesters can expose the issues with the marriage.
If you are in this age group and you find yourself facing divorce, take the time to look into all of the legal options at your disposal.
