Ethics & Religion
Column #1,932
August 30, 2018
Gray Divorce
By Mike McManus
At a time when the national divorce rate is dropping, it has doubled
for those over age 50, in what is known as "gray divorce," and tripled
for those over 65.
Why? First, their children are now adults and one parent decides he/she
no longer want to be married to someone they no longer like or have
anything in common with.
However, gray divorce poses seven major dangers:
- Economic: People may have to live on half the income they'd expected to
have, and may face pricey lawyers charging $50,000 to $200,000 to
dissolve the marriage. They also have fewer working years to make up the
loss. They are likely to run out of money before they run out of
lifetime.
- Remarriages less stable: The divorce rate for adults aged 50+ in
remarriages is double the rate of those married only once. Among those
over 50 who divorced in 2015, 48% were in their second or later
marriages.
- Health issues are likely: One divorced woman who said she was "healthy
as a horse" - became sick and was partially disabled. She could no
longer work, and was not old enough for Medicare.
- Women are very vulnerable: If they have taken time away from paid work
to be stay-at-home Moms, women are at deep risk financially. Men have
higher incomes and more continuous work histories and are much better
positioned to weather the financial storms of divorce. Researchers
report that 27% of gray divorced women are in poverty vs. only 11% of
divorced men. Women's retirements last longer and cost more than men's.
However, women have typically earned and saved much less toward
retirement than men. Yet two-thirds of gray divorces are filed by women!
Why? It's a big mistake.
- Few savings: More than half of all workers have less than $25,000 in
household savings and investments. "Once women wind up older and alone,
whether it's widowed, divorced or never married, they're at a fairly
high rate of poverty..." says Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute
for Women's Policy Research.
- Taxpayers face big bills: With the oldest of the 78 million boomers
turning 85 in 2031, the government's tab could be staggering. In 2021,
Medicare alone is expected to cost taxpayers $1.1 trillion - up from
$586 billion in 2012.
- Loneliness is the most negative result of gray divorce: Elders hated
"being alone," and were "afraid of being alone the rest of my life."
Why is there so much gray divorce? "Freedom." As one elder put it, "I
have the freedom to do anything I like. No one to tell me what I can or
cannot do. Not having to answer to anyone else, being able to do what I
want, when I want and being in control of my finances. Being able to
have whatever adventures I want, when I want, just because I want."
Many divorced men do remarry. However, remarriage for either ex can be
murky territory. "If you acquire a stepson when you're 60, will he help
you when you are old?" asks Andrew Cherlin, a sociologist at Johns
Hopkins University. "We are creating complex family relationships where
we're related to more people but obligated to fewer." In fact, the
divorce rate for second marriages is high - 67%, and 73% for third
marriages.
Divorced women are less likely to remarry, but they often have other
options. Ellen Rittberg, 60, of Long Island, N.Y. moved to her mother's
home to save money. A year later, her mom broke her pelvis. Her daughter
decided to stay. Now they care for each other. "It is mutual love and
companionship," says the mother of three and grandmother of two. "I went
from being embarrassed that I was living with my mother to feeling so
lucky we're close and that I can do this."
However, half of America's marriages have failed for four decades. My
wife and I lead a "Marriage Savers" ministry that has helped thousands
of churches in 230 cities to do a better job preparing couples for a
lifelong marriage, enriching existing ones, and saving those in crisis.
Citywide divorce rates have fallen by 17.5% on average, according to an
independent study, and some cities (Austin, Kansas City, El Paso) have
slashed divorce rates in half or better - saving 100,000 marriages from
divorce.
For example, couples whose own marriages once nearly failed - can be
trained to mentor gray marriages in crisis, and save 80% of them!
To learn more, write me in care of this newspaper.
___________________________________
Copyright (c) 2018 Michael J. McManus, a syndicated columnist and past president of Marriage Savers. To read past columns, go to
www.ethicsandreligion.com. Hit
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