On Behalf of The Law Office of Carrie M. Wilcox | Aug 5, 2021 | Silver Divorce
The average age of marriage keeps moving higher. In recent studies, it was 33 years of age for men in America, and 31 years of age for women, putting the overall average age of marriage at 32 years of age.
Those from previous generations may be surprised by this, as it was more common for them to get married in their 20s. What impact will an older marriage age have for the likelihood of a couple divorcing?
There may be more gray divorce
There could potentially be more divorces between those who are 50 years of age and older, which are often called gray divorces, simply because people are starting later. These divorces are already growing more common, and that trend may continue. A couple who stayed married for 20 years could easily be in their 50s instead of their 40s.
Asset division could get more complicated
A later marriage means people tend to have more assets, which complicates things. It also means that they may have lived together and gathered shared assets before getting married, which also can add a level of contention. Is something purchased after five years of living together, but still a year before an official marriage, an asset that the couple shares? Or is it a separate asset? It’s easy to imagine how people could look at it both ways.
As things get complicated and there is more money on the line, it’s important for couples to know about all of the legal rights they have when it comes to dividing up their assets in a divorce.