It used to be quite rare to see people who were in their 60s file for divorce. However, it seems there has been a shift, as baby boomers are now filing for divorce at twice the rate of 20 years ago.
According to the National Center for Family and Marriage, in 1990 only one in every 10 divorces was a baby boomer couple. Now, that demographic makes up one in every four. Additionally, an AARP survey found that in 2004, 66 percent of those divorces were actually started by the wives.
So just what exactly is happening to account for this rise in boomer divorces?
Well, like any couple who decides to get a divorce, the reasons vary. For many, once the kids are grown and off to college, spouses realizes they are simply not as happy as they could be, and that their marriages have grown boring and stagnant. Realizing they still have another good 30 years or so of life, they decide it’s better to file for a divorce now, and then get the most out of life.
“You re-evaluate. You look at your personal bucket list one more time and realize, it’s now or never,” one lawyer said about why many are deciding to get a divorce.
Additionally, it seems that more women choose to file as they see turning 50 as a time to reinvent themselves. This can lead to resentment in the marriage, and eventually lead to divorce.
However, regardless of what leads to divorce, in these marriages where couples were together for years, there tends to be things like investments, retirement accounts, property and other assets that need to be split up. Because of this, if you are going through a divorce, it’s best to have a family law attorney who can work to make sure a fair settlement is reached.
Source: Palm Beach Post, “After age 50, women are divorcing at double the rate of 20 years ago,” Barbara Marshall, Feb. 7, 2012
