Divorce on the rise among older couples

Wisconsin residents who are getting on in years may be more likely to get a divorce than previous generations. Statistics show that while overall the divorce rate in the United States is dropping, half of all marriages end in divorce, and the reason that number remains high is because of divorce among baby boomers.

Experts speculate that both longer lifespans and women’s financial independence are among the factors that have lead to a divorce rate among 55-to-64-year-olds that more than doubled between 1990 and 2012. For people 65 and over, the divorce rate tripled during that period.

Among younger generations, people are waiting longer to marry or not marrying at all. From the 1940s through the 1970s, the average age of marriage for women was around 20, but it has now risen to about 27. Younger generations are also more likely to forgo marriage altogether in favor of living together although those relationships are less likely to last than marriages. People are also less likely to remarry after a divorce compared to the past.

What all this means for the stability of millennial marriages remains to be seen. The median amount of time for a first marriage to last is 12 years. However, first marriages are more likely to last than subsequent ones.

As these figures demonstrate, many people will make the decision to divorce. Ending a marriage can be difficult, but it can also mean a fresh start although it may involve some financial worries. Older people in particular may be concerned about their financial security and protecting their retirement accounts. Younger people may have to make decisions about child custody. An attorney might be helpful in discussing these issues as well as spousal support and property division.