Divorces going grayer

The concept of marriage has seen numerous changes since the first couple said, “I do.” In the past, wives stayed home with the children while husbands worked to support their families. Fast forward to today, dynamics between spouses have evolved.

Divorce once considered forbidden, if not scandalous, has become a more reasonable option for spouses who can no longer reside under the same roof.

Significant changes and evolving attitudes

Perhaps the most significant quantum shift in divorces involves couples who are 50 to 70 years old. Overall marital dissolutions remain in decline. Statistics reveal that U.S. divorces dropped from 944,000 in 2000 to 630,505 in 2020.

While many presume that millennials, that demo is at its lowest point. What was once considered the least likely category to end their marriages has skyrocketed, with the older demographic doubling divorces over the past 30-plus years.

Popularly known as “gray divorce,” these marriages end not due to infidelity. Instead, other factors related to the skyrocketing stat. Many experts point to longer life expectancies with people living into their 100s, some with significant financial independence.

In many cases, marriages go into a defacto “autopilot” that reaches the point of no longer tolerating loveless and sexless marriages. Today’s older couples are more likely than ever to ponder the health of their relationships.

Many eventually end up pulling the proverbial plug.

Divorce is both legally complex and emotionally charged. Whether spouses agree to end the union or are at odds over significant assets, help from a skilled family law attorney can help ease the transition into a new life.

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