Many couples find themselves later into their life and suddenly thinking ‘is this it?’, ‘is this what my married life was supposed to look like now?’
Partly because people are living more active lives to a much later age, and partly because there is less stigma about living life as a single person at any age, official figures show that the number of couples divorcing in their 60’s has increased considerably over recent years.
Whether a life event has suddenly made you view your marriage in a different light, or you have been unhappy for a long while but have suddenly decided your life is getting shorter and you want to make the most of it by going alone, you may be wishing that you were one of the silver separations that seem to be happening all around.
The same reasons are cited as reasons for divorce at all ages, but those over 50 are generally facing some unique age-related issues that factor into the decision about getting a divorce in this age range, such as health concerns, losing family and friends, being together a lot more if you have both retired, and obviously that view that you are not getting any younger and you want to make the most of life.
Many say that they have nothing in common with each other once their children fly the nest and because they are not necessarily economically dependent on their spouse they wish to gain even more independence. Indeed, many over 60’s are far more wealthy than their parents’ generation and this brings with it more options.
It is also interesting that society does not view divorce as such a bad thing these days, and certainly, the aging process is viewed completely differently, with retired people travelling the world, abseiling down buildings, running marathons and generally, being all round superstars. They have wide social circles with much entertaining and interaction through hobbies and pastimes and are really living life to the full. Time is precious after all.
And why not go and accomplish all the things on your bucket list at this time in your life? You have the chance of freedom and living your own life as you wish. You may be be a very different person from that which made vows to your spouse maybe as long ago as 40 or more years, and if your partner no longer shares your visions of a wonderful life of experiences, you may be struggling to inhabit the same living space.
If you are feeling stifled in your marriage and have an inkling that you’d like to divorce and reunite with a former lover, or move forward with a current friendship, always remember that the grass is not often greener on the other side.
Ensure that you are financially able to afford life on your own, and that you are absolutely sure that you no longer want to be a part of the marriage. As with all divorces, you may wish to look into the options available to you and how it may affect you before you move forward.
It is never too late to divorce, but you have to be sure that it is the right thing for you at this time of life and that you will not be losing out, especially financially, as there is less time to recover from this. It is always wise to take advice from experienced lawyers who can talk you through exactly what will happen as you move through the divorce and onwards as a single person.