Despite old fears that divorce would become vastly more common due to the use of no-fault divorce laws, the stats actually show that divorce rates have declined for most age groups. Some of this is just due to the fact that couples live together more often without getting married, but not all of it.
Gray divorce, however, is moving in the opposite direction. Couples who are 50 years of age and older are getting divorced at higher rates, even as the young couples around them get divorced less often. Why is this happening?
Opinions on divorce have shifted
A big part of it is that opinions on divorce — and relationships in general — have changed. This is why you have more couples living together before marriage and driving divorce rates down, as well. Something that used to be taboo is now common and accepted.
The same is happening, to a degree, with gray divorce. Since these are older couples, they were first married back when society largely frowned on divorce. They may have wanted to split up quickly, perhaps just a few years after tying the knot, but they felt like they couldn’t do it without a bulletproof reason — such as infidelity.
Now, however, society’s opinions on divorce have changed so that it is not looked at in the negative way that people used to view it. It is largely accepted and often expected. As a result, these older couples are finally at a place where they can get the divorce they’d wanted for a while.
Are you getting divorced?
If you’re in this age bracket and finally thinking about divorce, it can be complicated to separate your lives after so many years together. You need to know what legal steps to take to protect your future and make informed decisions. An attorney can help you understand more.
