There's no denying the impact divorce, no matter when it occurs in life, can have on everyone in involved. This is especially true with older couples in Texas who decide to end a marriage. Research suggests that daughters of divorce are 60 percent more likely to untie the knot, and sons of divorced parents are 35 percent more likely to end their marriage. While the divorce rate has been on the decline among the general population, it's actually on the rise for couples 50 and older.
In fact, the divorce rate among couples over 50 has doubled since 1990. For couples 65 and older, this rate has tripled. Couples in a second marriage are nearly three times more likely to call it quits than partners on marriage number one. Statically, later-life marriages of a shorter duration are also more likely to end in divorce than long-term ones. As for what causes older couples to split, it's often dissatisfaction with the quality of marriage, not empty nest syndrome and other factors some people associate with later-life divorces.
When older couples end a marriage, it's not unusual for grown children to question their own ability to have a long-term marriage with their partners. Divorcing when older can also contribute to income discrepancies and reduced financial security. It's estimated that a single person 65 or older needs about 80 percent of the income normally generated by a two-person household, and older divorced women are far more likely to end up in poverty than their male counterparts. Divorcing when older can also shrink an individual's social circle as friendships are lost, which may contribute to increased loneliness and isolation.
Regardless of what causes an older couple to consider divorce, a lawyer might be an important resource and ally for anyone choosing to end a marriage later in life. An attorney may lend a hand with the many aspects of the divorce process, from negotiating terms with how assets are divided to recommending ways to minimize financial losses that affect retirement savings.
