According to researchers, education appears to be a huge protector against the dissolution of marriage in California and other states. Couples who have only completed high school are about two times more likely to get divorced as college-educated individuals are. However, it appears that people who are above 50 years old are increasingly seeking divorce, whether they are college-educated or not.
A quarter of individuals who are getting divorced in the United States these days are older than 50. Those in this age group today have double the chance of getting divorced as those in the same age group did back in 1990. Part of the reason for this is that older individuals are usually on second and third marriages, and many of these later marriages are thought to be less stable than first marriages are. Still, over half of divorces that occur later in life occur between people who’ve been married over 20 years.
Many of those who divorce at later stages in life aren’t necessarily always fighting. They simply realize that after having raised their kids, they don’t have a lot in common. They thus look to divorce as a way to become free and live independently. This is particularly valuable today for many women, since more of them are able to support themselves financially. A substantial number of people are also living longer these days due to improvements in medicine.
When people decide to get a divorce at any age, it can be emotionally and even financially burdensome. It helps if both parties can find common ground on how to divide their assets, such as retirement funds and property at the negotiation table. This will prevent them from having to take their issues to court to let a judge decide how their finances will be handled pursuant to California’s community property laws. Nevertheless, it is within the rights of both parties to seek an outcome that is best for them in California.
Source: Time, “Why Your Grandparents Are Divorcing“, Belinda Luscombe, Oct. 8, 2014
