While divorces between elderly couples used to be rare, the amount of “grey divorces” has skyrocketed in recent years. Divorce is a challenge at any age, but getting divorced after being married for decades presents a unique set of challenges. At this age, most people are settling down for retirement and getting ready to enjoy the rest of their lives with their adult children and grandchildren. A divorce forces people to start over and reevaluate every aspect of their lives.
What are some of the challenges of grey divorce?
One of the biggest challenges of divorce for many people is figuring out what to do about health insurance. Once the divorce is finalized, the spouse listed as the beneficiary immediately loses their health insurance. At this stage in life, it’s extremely difficult to start working again and find a job with health benefits. If individuals can’t enter the workforce, they might have to figure out how to pay for a private insurance plan.
Another challenge is relying on their adult children for assistance. In some cases, one of the spouses might even have to move in with their adult child until they find their own place to live. This can cause strain on the child’s life, especially since they’re trying to build their own life outside of their parents. Their children might also feel like they’re being forced to choose one parent over the other.
How can older adults file for divorce?
Filing for divorce is a challenging process, but hiring an attorney might make the process easier. With an attorney, an individual may find it easier to evaluate their assets and divide them up with their former spouse. Divorcing individuals may also receive guidance on how to protect their finances and build a new life for themselves after the split is finalized.
