Gray divorce typically refers to couples at a later stage in their lives. For instance, some reports show that the divorce rate for couples 65 and older has tripled in recent years. These divorce cases are often referred to as gray divorce.
Interestingly, couples in this age bracket have seen rising divorce rates, while younger couples have actually seen theirs decline. Why does age make such a difference? Why are divorce rates rising for those over 45?
The rising marriage age
For one thing, many young couples simply aren’t getting married to begin with, so they aren’t contributing to divorce statistics. Studies show that the average marriage age is around 32 years old. It is not nearly as common for couples to get married in their early 20s or teens. Couples who marry in their 30s can reach 45 years old with fewer years of marriage and technically qualify as having a gray divorce.
Becoming empty-nesters
One reason why older couples get divorced is that their children move out of the house. In some cases, there were already problems in the marriage, but parents were too distracted by raising children to notice them. In other cases, they deliberately stayed together for their children, planning to get divorced when the last child went to college. They put off the divorce until it counts as a gray divorce.
Going through the divorce process
These are a few potential reasons why divorce rates differ depending on age, but the reality is that divorce can happen to couples at any stage of life. If you and your spouse are going through that process this year, be sure you understand all of your legal rights regarding child custody, property division and more.
