As Texas residents may know, divorce has become more common for couples over the age of 50 than it was previously. An article in the New York Times suggested that one reason is that people in this age group are frequently on their second marriage, and statistics show that second marriages are more likely to end in divorce than first marriages.
A sociology professor thinks that longer life spans may be contributing to the incidence in older couples. He suggests that individuals may look at their marriage and, although it isn’t bad, they may no longer feel as happy and wonder if they want to continue for many more years in the same relationship. Another sociologist postulates that finances may have something to do with the chance that a divorce will happen. Because older couples might be better off financially, they may be more likely to divorce than younger couples. A study conducted by Brigham Young University, however, found that over 50 percent of younger couples between the ages of 25 and 50 said that they had contemplated divorce at some point.
Research carried out by BYU said that of two different groups thinking about divorce, the individuals in one group were more apt to think about it often. This group had more problems in the marriage and had a less positive view toward the future. This group was labeled as the serious thinkers. In the second group, these individuals thought about divorce less often and said the problems with their marriages were less serious. The individuals in this group were more positive and wanted to stay married. This group was labeled soft thinkers.
Regardless of age, a person who is facing the end of a marriage might benefit from speaking to an attorney who has experience in family law matters. A variety of divorce legal issues such as property division and child custody may be present, and the attorney might be of assistance in negotiating a comprehensive settlement agreement that addresses the applicable ones.