Posted on 06/13/2012 7:39:16 AM PDT by BenLurkin
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The divorce rate is soaring among people in their 50s — and it’s most often the wife who wants out.
Since 1990, the divorce rate has doubled to 1 in 4 among couples over 50 years old, who are also referred to as “empty nesters.”
The trend is being called “Grey Divorce” and is outlined in a study published by Bowling Green State University.
Century City Family Divorce Attorney Marlo Von Oorschot wrote a book on the subject.
“People look at their marriages and say I could live’ til I’m 90 years old and do I wanna stay in this marriage?”
*In addition to longevity, women are sometimes more financially independent than before, there’s less social pressure to stay married and more focus on individual happiness.
A national survey conducted by AARP finds the majority of split ups are being initiated by women.
“Women in their 40s, 50s, 6o’s still feel very youthful and, if you’re in a marriage where your needs aren’t being met,…we have choices today,” Von Oorschot said.
That may be why dating websites catering to that generation are growing in popularity.
But Von Oorschot said while divorce is a difficult decision — at any age — it can come with more risks at a later age.
“The plans this couple had for 20, 30 years to retire at a certain age are derailed,” the attorney said.
Older couples undergoing divorce may be forced to have to start working again and losing health benefits.
But some believe that when a person is no longer in sync with their partner it can be much more rewarding to tend to their own needs
More women than men are graduating from college..majority or ta least a large percentage of women today are no longer financially dependent on men.
I’m 53, and work at a VA Hospital.
There is not a single week I don’t get asked out, hit on, or worse.
I don’t look my age I know, but geez, I have a huge diamond on my left hand. You would think these guys would look first. Maybe they don’t care.
I’ll bet if you dig deply into the numbers you will find guys in their 50’s trading in their 50+ wives for a late 20’s or early 30’s babe and paying a high price for doing it. When men in their 50’s are attracted to a young woman who responds in kind,their brain goes numb. It never ceases to amaze me how ordinary and even extraordinary men can ruin their life and the lives of others over sex.
“2 word of advice: Non-traceable assets”
I had a friend whose husband thought he had lots of non-traceable assets, but her lawyer found it all pretty easily.
“Hippies of late 60’s are now in their 50’s”. I think your math may be a little off. Assuming that in 1968 and 1969 the “hippies” were between 18 and 25 that would put them somewhere between mid or late 60’s in 2012. By the way, a lot of them other than the ones dead of Drug OD’s are tenured professors at our colleges and teaching your kids.
Well, that’s interesting. Not sure how common your experience is. Most of the older (single) women I know complain about the lack of interested men. And that includes my sister who looks darn good for 45.
Boomers are the generation born from 1946 to 1964.
Sarah Palin and Obama are young boomers.
This happened a lot in the 1970s, one of the most heartbreaking results of the mass media fired feminist movement of the time was old women in their 60s leaving their husbands in the 1970s to become “liberated”.
I wonder if part of the problem is that people expect more of marriage than marriage is able to give.
I have a great wife. One of the deals we have, though, is that for at least a week a year, I take a trip by myself. It’s amazing how many people tell us that that’s just wrong and it means there’s something wrong with our marriage.
I hear of these women who say that their husband has to be their best friend, their soul mate, and they should do everything together, etc., etc. Eventually, most people will just wear on each other if they do that. If people would just back off and accept that interests aren’t always going to be the same and that it’s okay to not always be together, a lot of marriages could be saved.
I never heard my grandparents talk about “soul mates” or expect their spouses to have the same interests. But they never divorced.
Mine left after 17 years of marriage. The lawyers destroy the man financialy if she was a stay at home mom. Lopsided laws against men.
Same thing happened to me after 31 years of marriage. I have two friends that had same experience.
One of them thinks there just has to be a “manual” for women to interrupt/terminate extended marriages. It is always a sad event. It took me three years to re-build the trust with my adult children. You see, I had refused to get into personalities or discuss the divorce with them. Now, we have very healthy relationships.
My prayers are with you both!
Gwjack
What an utterly vacuous, self-absorbed point of view.
I was at a conference about a month ago. Those are always troubles waiting to happen when the drinks are being poured. I've had a few chances with married women, especially those I've known for a while. I didn't take them. I don't break up families. Someone else can be the bad guy there.
Damn. I’m sorry to hear that Towed. Hope things work out well for you.
Form an LLC, make lots of money... and tell her to pack sand.
The Summer of Love 2.0. Sponsored by Cialis.
The majority of these women will end up alone with 14 cats, or the victims of numerous pump-and-dumps by men, depending on thier level of attractiveness. I don’t understand it, they’ve been watching too much Sex and the City and think that they still have a sexual market value.
-—But some believe that when a person is no longer in sync with their partner it can be much more rewarding to tend to their own needs——
‘Til sync do us part.
Who do we thank for this great wisdom?
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