Which age group is getting divorced more than others?

For most age groups in the United States, divorce rates have been on a pretty steady decline for some time now. This doesn’t always mean that relationships are more stable than they were before. Part of the reason is just that people don’t get married as often or as young as they used to. These are two things that can both reduce the divorce rates.

However, there is one age group that is getting divorced more often and for whom the odds of divorce seem to get even higher every year. This age group is those who are 50 years old and older. These divorces are often lumped together under the umbrella term of gray divorce.

What’s the reason for the uptick in divorce?

Every couple is going to have a different specific reason for divorce, but one common trend is that many of these couples no longer have children living at home. This suggests that they may have gotten divorced sooner, but they put it off until they could do it after their children were grown up.

Another potential reason is that people in this age group may already be on their second marriages. It naturally just takes time to get married and divorced twice, so these tend to be older couples. Since second marriages have a higher divorce rate than first marriages, this could also be part of the reason for the overall increase in the age group.

No matter what happens, if you and your partner get divorced this year, be sure you know what steps to take. Having experienced legal guidance can help.