In the 1970s and 80s, the divorce rate increased quickly. This is what led to the common expression that 50% of marriages end in divorce. The statistic is often disputed, but it’s also often repeated.
In any case, the increase in divorce rates was fairly shocking to people at the time. After all, in the early 1900s, the divorce rate was under 1%. You’ll still find people who say that the divorce rate is always increasing.
But the truth is that the divorce rate in America is dropping for the vast majority of individuals. Most couples are less likely to get divorced now than they were in previous decades. Some of this has to do with the fact that they are also more likely to cohabitate and less likely to get married in the first place, but the divorce rate is still falling.
Divorces are slowing down – unless you are over 50
The one exception to this is if you’re over 50 years old. If you are, then you are going through what is commonly known as a gray divorce. The divorce rate for this age group is actually going up.
Part of the reason for this may be the very low rates in the past. There was quite a social stigma around divorce and many couples who wanted to get divorced felt like they couldn’t do so. These older couples may now be coming to the understanding that perceptions on divorce have changed, so they can finally make the decision that they wanted to make all along.
Regardless of your age, if you’re getting divorced, you need to know exactly what legal steps to take to protect your future.
