Just when you think long-time married couples stay and grow old together, it doesn’t always happen. For some reason, their decades-long marriage still ends up in divorce. This can come as an utter shock among their closest friends and loved ones. The best divorce lawyers can help you with that, even if it is a painful decision to make.

Any couple can end up in divorce regardless of age. In fact, divorcing later in life can lead to deeper emotional and financial setbacks. As a result, it can be harder to recover when you divorce in your 50’s or older as compared to divorcing in your younger years.

Sadly, divorcing later on in life is a common thing. Certain divorce conditions may still apply as when divorcing in your 30’s or 40’s. However, it is recommended to hire divorce lawyers to help handle your case. Likewise, here are some important things you need to consider if you are planning to divorce at an older age.

Why older couples end up in divorce

There are many reasons why older couples end up in divorce despite their long-time marriage. It can be a major turning point in their lives. Nonetheless, it is recommended to consult experienced divorce lawyers. Among common reasons of late-life divorce may be due to the following.

Retirement/lifestyle change

A lot of retired people may have more time in their hands after retirement. After raising their children and slaving on work for several years, older people may have no concrete plans once they already retire. In effect, some older couples may not get used to these major adjustments in their lives which cause disagreements and eventually to divorce.

Growing apart

For younger couples, common reasons for divorce may be due to infidelity or financial disagreements. But for older couples, this may be a point in their life where they realize how little they have in common and how it may eventually lead to divorce.

Older parents

Some couples in their 50’s or 60’s may have aging parents they also have to take care of aside from their own children. As a result, one of the spouses may feel too overwhelmed with the situation and can create a negative impact on their marriage.

Personal regrets

Some older people may have regrets later on in life. Perhaps the one whom they married was actually their parent’s choice. Or probably some people think they should have enjoyed their singlehood first before settling down. These realizations may create a major impact on marriage and lead to late-life divorce.

Child custody

When you decide to divorce in older age, child custody may not be a major issue anymore. For one, it may be most likely that the older couple’s children are at least 18 years old and above. It is also most likely that the couple’s adult children have already moved out of their family house and are living elsewhere.

Some child support lawyers may say that child support may end when the child is already 18 years old and above. However, it may still depend on which state you live. Still, child custody may not be a major issue to tackle. This is because children within that age range can already decide on their own in terms of parental and custody plans.

Assets and property distribution

Couples who divorce later on into their lives will also have to deal with other divorce concerns. One is an asset and property distribution. When you claim a portion of assets and properties that is under your spouse’s name, you may have to consult spousal support lawyers about it.

Asset and property division may be challenging for those who plan to divorce later in their lives. On one hand, there are many assets that may need to be settled between you and your spouse. However, your assets may not grow further anymore considering that you may already be or nearing your retirement age. Nonetheless, this issue can be eventually solved between the couple.

Among properties, assets, and investments that may need to be considered in an impending divorce include:

  • Life insurance
  • Bank accounts
  • Retirement and Social Security benefits
  • Real estate properties
  • Alimony/spousal support

In such cases, you can consult a professional financial analyst to help you with the financial aspects of late-life divorce. Top rated divorce lawyers can also help you settle and guide you through the tedious divorce process.

Divorce chooses no age

Any couple may end up in divorce, regardless of age. Regardless, divorce is one of the hardest decisions couples can make. Consult top rated divorce lawyers in Fairfax VA and avail free consultation services today.