Recent statistics about divorce have indicated that the overall rate has been declining. While this is true for certain age categories, baby boomers in Texas and around the country seem to be continuing a trend that started in the late 1970s and has never stopped.
According to researchers, the divorce rate for younger people has somewhat declined over the last several years. This might be due to factors such as people becoming more cautious about getting married and the overall marriage age increasing. However, a Bowling Green State University study showed that between 1990 and 2012, the rate for people in the 55-64 age group increased by more than 100 percent while that of people 65 and older tripled.
The reason for baby boomers divorcing at a higher rate might be due to their attitudes towards marriage and women’s greater independence as they became a central part of the work force. Additionally, during the baby boomers’ lifetime, divorce laws have become more relaxed. They seem to also have the view that there is a lot of life left to live and they should not spend it unhappily. Because they have kept divorcing at high rates, the general divorce rate remains at about 50 percent. Another thing that might influence this rate is that while people are more cautious about marrying, a higher number are cohabiting without marriage and those relationships tend to end faster as well, without their numbers being included.
The end of a marriage can be a challenging time regardless of a person’s age. However, older couples who are seeking a divorce will likely have different issues at the forefront. Child custody will in most cases not be an issue, but after compiling a lot of assets the estranged spouses may argue over property division. Their respective family law attorneys can in some cases assist in negotiating a settlement agreement that addresses this matter.