APRIL 2023 - 1
The Gray Divorce: The How and Why of Divorce After 50
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In 2021, after 27 years of marriage, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce. They were both over the age of 50. Bill Gates was, at the time of the announcement, 65, and his wife Melinda was 56. They are, it turns out, not alone. According to Pew Research, divorce rates for people 50+ have doubled since the 1990s. In the Journals of Gerontology, researchers found that more 1 in 4 divorces in the United States involves someone over the age of 50. More than 50% of these divorces happen after 20 years of marriage. Divorce taking place after the age of 50 is known as a “gray divorce.” The gray divorce is now becoming more common with social norms shifting, life expectancy increasing and lifestyle issues creating tension for some people 50 and over. continued on page 6
ASK THE EXPERT: COMMUNICATING DECISIONS FEATURE: THE GRAY DIVORCE: THE HOW AND WHY OF DIVORCE AFTER 50 BRAIN HEALTH: OPERATING SYSTEM FOR A HAPPY LIFE INFOGRAPHIC: VOLUNTEER WEEK