Many people think that divorce is something that happens to younger couples, essentially because they have made a mistake when deciding to get married. For example, someone may tie the knot at 28 and get divorced by 32, when they realize that they did not actually enjoy being married. They could cite all sorts of reasons, such as conflict or financial stress, but the root cause still seems to be that the marriage itself was a mistake.
This also leads people to assume that you can get to a certain age where your marriage is guaranteed to last. But is this actually true?
The opposite seems to be true
Interestingly, the exact opposite seems to be true, as those who are 50 and older are the only age group in the United States with a rising divorce rate. This suggests that it’s becoming less likely to get divorced at younger ages – while becoming more as you move past middle age.
One reason for this is that divorce isn’t really about making a mistake at all, but it is often just about differences between people. These can develop over time. Some couples feel like they have drifted apart. A good example would be if a couple has children and becomes very focused on parenting. When those children go to college and the couple becomes empty-nesters, they may reassess their personal relationship.
Divorce at a later age can be more complicated because of your financial assets. You simply own more items that must be divided, and you may also be doing financial planning for retirement. Be sure you know what options you have.