In New York, it is not unusual for marriages to end in divorce. There are many reasons for this from incompatibility to infidelity to simply growing apart. Regardless of the reason, there can be many areas of difficulty when a couple is at the end of a marriage and plans to divorce.
Recent studies have brought to light surprising demographics as to who is getting a divorce. A study from Bowling Green State University says that different generations are staying married and getting divorced at various rates. Overall, the number of divorces has been in decline. From 1979 through 2017, the number of divorces fell by 29%. This led to the total being its lowest in four decades. In 2017, there were approximately 1 million divorces. However, certain age groups are divorcing at a higher rate.
For those 55 and older, the numbers were increasing. These are commonly referred to as “gray” divorces. The years that were researched spanned from 1990 to 2017. For those 65 and older, the rate rose from 1.8 for every 1,000 couples to five for every 1,000 couples. These people, “Baby Boomers,” generally married when they were younger or are in a second marriage. Second marriages have a higher rate of divorce than other marriages. People in other age groups either had significant drops in their divorce rate in that time span or the rates were essentially status quo.
When anyone gets a divorce, there are issues that must be navigated. Older people will frequently be worried about property division, retirement accounts and other divorce legal issues that are common for people whose children are adults. Regardless of the age of people who are considering a divorce, having legal advice is one of the foundational aspects to a successful resolution. Perhaps the terms of the divorce can be negotiated and agreed to without going to court. Or maybe the issues are such that negotiation is unlikely to succeed and court will be necessary. Having legal advice from an experienced family law attorney is imperative no matter the situation.