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Gray Divorce Trends and Pitfalls

Pennsylvania residents who may be considering divorce in their 50s or even later in life should know that they are far from alone. The baby boomer generation has led the way in many things and today they continue to do so in the world of divorce. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the number of people ending their marriages after the age of 50 jumped by 109 percent in the 25 years spanning from 1990 to 2015.

To fully understand the magnitude of this jump, it is important to compare it to the divorce rate of people in other age groups. In the same period of time, divorces among people in their 40s increased but only by 14 percent. Then, divorces among people between 25 and 39 actually declined by 21 percent.

Of those boomers who got divorced in 2015, 48 percent were in their second or subsequent marriages. Overall, the rate of these divorces to those of couples in their first marriages was two to one. The number of divorces was also seen to decline as the length of the marriages increased. A greater level of acceptance of divorce socially, longer lifespans and a growing desire for individuals to be happy throughout their lives may be fueling the increase in gray divorces.

When a marriage may be coming to its end, people in Pennsylvania may find it helpful to talk with an attorney. This may educate them about the different financial concerns they may face in the process.

For more information, contact Louis Wm Martini, P.C.