Divorce Rate Increasing for over 60-Year-Olds

 Posted on January 18, 2013 in Divorce

A recent study has found that divorces among over 60-year-olds are on the rise in Britain, according to the Chicago Tribune. More people over 60 got a divorce in England and Wales in 2011 than in 2010. The overall number of divorces in Britain decreased last year, but so called "silver separations" increased. The divorce rate has not been this high in over 40 years in the UK.

There are a number of reasons for this trend, for example, retirement, changes in life, and higher life expectancy.  In many cases, older people start to drift apart and get divorced after their children head off to university or move out. According to UK pensions expert and campaigner Ros Altmann, higher life expectancy was one of the reasons for over 15,000 men and women over the age of 60 divorcing last year. "In the past couples might have stayed together because they thought &What have I got left to live?& Now you&re not old at 60. Your life is just beginning in a new phase," Altmann said.

In the US, celebrity divorces follow the same trend. Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman, who are both in their 60s, ended their long marriage last October. In 2011, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, 65, and his wife, Maria Shriver, 57, decided to go separate ways after 25 years of marriage. Although the number of "silver separations" is on the rise, the overall number of marriages ending in divorce has actually decreased since 2005.

Divorce is always a difficult and complex process. Therefore, it is best to employ the services of a skilled divorce lawyer to guide you through the legal proceedings. If you are contemplating a divorce, whether you are over 60 or not, contact a highly experienced divorce attorney in Lombard, Illinois today.

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