People can experience divorce in their life at any age, even after being married for decades. Cases such as these started to become known as “gray divorces” overtime. While the term originally came from the idea that anyone married for 40+ years must be starting to gray, it is more commonly known today amongst divorces between spouses in their 50s and 60s.Continue reading below to learn more and contact an experienced New York divorce attorney for help with your case.
How Can Mediation Help a Gray Divorce?
When spouses go through a divorce at an older age, they can benefit from using mediation in order to settle their marital issues. This may be better for them in the event of the following:
- They do not want to waste money. Divorces are often expensive. Spouses going through this at a later age may either be retired or planning to retire soon. Instead of spending money on a litigated divorce, they may want to protect their funds for retirement by going through mediation.
- They do not want to waste time. There are many cases in which divorces can take years. Couples of these ages may not want to spend this time in their life divorcing through litigation. Instead, mediation allows for a quicker process.
- They do not want any more stress in their life. At this age, individuals may be facing other difficulties in life. This can include medical issues, their job, caring for elderly parents, supporting their children, etc. In these situations, the last thing they may want is to go through a complicated divorce. Mediation can be a more peaceful process.
What are Important Gray Divorce Issues to be Aware Of?
There are a variety of issues that can become present during a gray divorce, such as the following:
- Determining alimony duration and amount
- Determining marital property vs. separate property
- Establishing if inheritances can be divided
- Alimony negotiations when one spouse is collecting social security off the other’s earnings
- Whether or not a new life insurance policy is needed
- Dividing pension plans or other retirement accounts
- Whether or not they are required to pay for their children’s college education through child support
Contact our Firm
Matters of divorce and family law should be navigated with the guidance of an experienced attorney. If you need strong legal representation regarding matters of divorce, family law, and estate law, contact the Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. to schedule a consultation today.
