What To Know About Divorce After 50

Although there is no set age for people to divorce, it tends to be the case that the longer two people have been married, the less chance there will be for divorcing.

That said, divorces after the age of 50 are certainly not as uncommon as some people may think.

Although couples are marrying later in life in many cases these days, keep in mind that there are couples who’ve been married since just getting out of college, etc. As a result, a divorce after 50 means they’ve been together for more than a quarter-century.

If you are a pending divorce statistic after the age of 50, working with one of our Seattle family law attorneys at V. Freitas Law is certainly not a bad idea.

Let A Family Law Attorney Guide You

For one, a family law attorney in Seattle can guide you on the divorce legal proceedings moving forward.

Among the things you should definitely be up to speed on:

  • Finances – First and foremost, divorces after the age of 50 can hit many people quite hard. Keep in mind that countless individuals in this segment of life are still paying off home mortgages, could very well be dealing with vehicle payments, and maybe putting one or more kids through college. As a result, a divorce later in life can really hit some people in the wallet or purse. Sitting down with the right legal professional will help you as to what to expect financially from you and your spouse going your separate ways.
  • Retirement – With one eye starting to look at retirement in another decade or two, millions of people over 50 will of course be concerned with how a pending divorce will impact their golden years. Assuming you and your spouse have been together for a long period of time, discuss with your family law attorney how the divorce could see you losing some of your retirement benefits to your soon-to-be ex-spouse.

With the National Center for Family & Marriage Research reporting that the divorce rate for adults past the age of 50 doubled during the period of 1990 to 2014, it is no stretch to say that many people over 50 should be concerned.

An even more alarming statistic is that, for those older than 65, the divorce rate actually tripled for that nearly 25-year period.

Divorce And Your Job

If you’re over 50 and still working, you have likely spent decades getting to where you are in your career. Your divorce could put that in jeopardy.

Here are some considerations to think about:

  • Divorce settlement – You want to get the best possible divorce settlement you can. If you do not, there’s a good chance it will wear on you over time. As such, it can mean less concentration in the workplace. If your job performance begins to fall off, you could be in danger of losing your position. If you get pretty much all you want out of the settlement, there is a good chance you will be content with the proceedings. It may even lead you to find someone over time that makes you happy when it comes to your personal life. If that’s the case, your workplace performance could get better.
  • Job hours – In the event you end up sharing custody of your children with your ex or you have them full-time moving forward, it can impact the hours you are at work. With that in mind, sit down with your supervisor to discuss the arrangements you and your ex have agreed to or the courts have ordered. It may mean having to alter your work hours as it relates to taking the children to school or picking them up, making sure they get to their doctor appointments, etc.
  • Ex causing you problems – Although many partners finally see the light that the marriage is over, some do not. If you end up in the latter case, talk to your supervisor and your legal counsel. One or both may need to act to make it so you are not bothered at work by your ex. The last thing you want is your divorce causing you distractions in the workplace. If it does, your employer may decide that the trouble is not worth it to them.

If you want your divorce to have as little an impact on your job as possible, make sure you work with the right Seattle family law attorney. Our lawyers can help you lessen the chances your divorce could lead to problems in the workplace and even a job dismissal.

Finding A Seattle Family Law Attorney Later In Life

If you are over the age of 50 and looking at a pending divorce, don’t waste time getting legal help.

The sooner you seek a family law attorney, the sooner you’ll be on the road to protecting as much of your financial future as possible. Contact us today by calling 206-536-2875 or sending an email.