If you are a couple over the age of 50 and have decided to end your relationship in divorce, Consilia Legal have specialist divorce solicitors who can help and support you through this difficult process. Our compassionate and empathetic team are on hand to explain the process and the special considerations you need to make, so contact our team today.
Grey divorce is increasingly common
‘Grey divorce’ is a term used to describe the process of a couple divorcing after the age of 50. This is increasingly common and bucks the trend of the general divorce rate reducing. There were 80,000 divorces in the UK in 2022, and one in four of those were couples aged over 50, and a 2021 study claimed the number of grey divorces had doubled since 1990, and they expect it to triple by 2030.
Reasons for divorcing later in life
It is common for couples to drift apart at any stage of life, but particularly in later years when retirement is looming. This can often be a period of self-reflection and increasingly is a time when big decisions are made. Grey divorce can happen for a number of reasons, but typically the factors are:
- Empty nest syndrome – Children have grown up and moved on and there is a sense that the marriage has served its purpose.
- Retirement – People make plans for retirement which maybe involve hobbies and travel and this either leads to them drifting apart, or signals that they are likely to, if their plans differ.
- Financial independence – Women generally are less financially dependent on their partner than in previous years and therefore have more autonomy over their future plans. The couple will likely have no mortgage or remaining career goals and have no childcare considerations, and hence now is a less impactful time to go their separate ways.
- Social media – It is easier for older people to make new connections or rediscover older ones and hence there is less risk of isolation.
- Life expectancy – In 1974 a man’s average life expectancy was 69 and a woman’s was 74. 50 years later and these are 84 and 87 respectively. Better health standards mean people can expect a longer retirement and hence feel there is value in making a clean break and enjoying retirement in a different way.
- Change in societal norms – People are more encouraged to break social conventions and there is less stigma and shame attached to divorce.
What you need to know about divorce later in life
If you choose to talk to Consilia Legal about grey divorce, there is lots to consider. This will include:
- The divorce process – There is no difference in the divorce process for people over the age of 50, compared to couples getting divorced at any other stage of life. There is still sadness and shock, but people are generally more mature and reflective and are able to negotiate it better. Age and life experience provides us with more resilience, which helps in such circumstances.
- No-fault divorce – The no-fault divorce came into the legal spectrum in 2022 and this has helped with grey divorce, because generally speaking, couples of an older age are more likely to be parting amicably, and this process helps them make the divorce quicker, easier, less stressful and less costly.
- Finances and assets – Grey divorce can be more complicated because many years of marriage means finances and assets are more intertwined. There are pension pots, retirement savings, investments, inheritance and property to consider, a couple may even have a business together. Couples divorcing later in life are more likely to share multiple assets, so it is important that specialist legal advice is sought to understand how assets and income are to be distributed fairly.
- Mediation – Where the separating couple want to deal with the division of finances amicably, grey divorce often involves mediation. During this process a trained, independent mediator will sit down with the couple and help them to reach mutual proposals on how to divide the couple’s finances in a fair and reasonable way. The mediation process enables the couple to take some time to reflect and consider the future, including working out if each partner has sufficient financial income and stability to meet their needs.
- Children – While children may be grown-up and more mature and understanding, this development will still come as a shock and will need to be handled carefully.
Contact Consilia Legal for advice on divorce later in life
Our expert family law solicitors are able to handle the grey divorce process for you. We can help you to navigate the process whether through legal advice or mediation. Although grey divorce typically involves less acrimony and upset, we recognise that it is still an important milestone and a time of sadness and reflection. Our team can provide the support and advice you need at this difficult time, so contact Consilia Legal today.