Some couples that have been married for years — sometimes decades — are calling it quits. “Grey” divorce, as it’s known, is a stark reality for many British Columbia couples. The reasons for these splits are varied, but among them is simply growing apart once children have left home. Baby boomers — those aged 55 and older — are making a dent in divorce statistics in Canada. In fact, Statistics Canada has indicated the main indicators couples cite for these break-ups are falling out of love and having different ideas about retirement plans.
Divorce is difficult it happens, but it can be particularly devastating for the individuals who have been married for many years. Not only can the end of a marriage be hard emotionally, but it could wreak havoc with the couple’s finances. Marital are typically split evenly — even the profits from any business ventures. Everything is on the table, and this is what often fuels bitterness in many of these divorce situations.
The couple will have to record everything pertaining to finances. Doing so may make an already possibly volatile situation easier to manage. Anything a separating couple can do to ease the stress of a divorce is usually in the best interests of both spouses.
A British Columbia lawyer who is both knowledgeable and empathetic will be able to help a client who finds him or herself in such a grey divorce circumstance. With so much on the line, a lawyer will be able to guide a client in the divorce process. A lawyer may also be able to help should the couple decide to mediate the situation, keeping it out of the courts.
Source: findlaw.ca, “What is ‘grey divorce’?“, Accessed on Oct. 7, 2017