Divorce Rate Growing for Older Couples

 Posted on April 17, 2014 in Divorce

New research shows that it's not America's youngest couples who are facing the highest likelihood for divorce. A study from the University of Minnesota points out that the biggest growth in the divorce rate has happened with older couples.

According to the study's researchers, baby boomers were responsible for the increase in marital instability that occurred in the 1970's. Even though that portion of the population is now middle-aged and older, they are still linked to high rates of relationship instability. Divorce for those over the age of 40 is now more common than ever, even though divorce rates have dropped for couples in their early twenties. The lead researcher on the project, University of Minnesota history professor Steve Ruggles, there have been major increases in divorce rates for those over age 60.

He says that those between age 60 and 65 have seen a threefold divorce rate increase and that those over 65 have seen a fivefold increase. Many of these older individuals go on to get married again, and second and third marriages are typically less stable. Ruggles argues that this is one contributing factor to the high divorce rate for older people.

This project also cautions that while it would appear that younger couples are more successful in marriage, in reality younger couples are not getting married early. Instead, they are choosing to live together, or cohabitate, while remaining unmarried. This means that they are still beginning and ending serious relationships. For those who are successful with marriage, both spouses tend to have higher education levels and end up better off financially because of it.