Spouses who go through a divorce will find that their lives will be impacted in many different ways, regardless of how old they may be. However, California residents who are at least 50 years old should be aware that a divorce can significantly and negatively impact their health. Divorce can have a number of physical and psychological consequences for older divorcees, particularly if they are already dealing with some medical issue.
For couples who have not yet reached the age of 50, the divorce rate is almost double than that for seniors. However, the overall rate for these younger spouses is not experiencing a striking increase. For individuals who are in their 40s, the divorce rate has risen only a little since 1990. The rate among spouses who are younger than 40 years old is actually decreasing.
“Gray divorce” is used to refer to the sudden increase in divorce rates for the older segment of the population. The phenomenon was revealed in a 2012 study conducted by two researchers from Bowling Green State University. According to one of the researchers, the majority of the divorces that takes place among older adults is occurring among those who are between 50 to 64 years old.
The researcher also states that there are multiple factors that contribute to gray divorces. People are living longer, and more women are becoming financially independent.
A family law attorney may advise older clients seeking divorce of the appropriate legal strategy to ensure fair divorce settlement terms. Litigation could be used to deal with disputes regarding spousal support and the division of important financial assets, such as retirement accounts.
