Many New Jersey residents will be filing paperwork in family law courts in 2019. With regard to divorce, many of those petitioning the court are beyond age 55. In fact, twice as many people in this age group have ended marriages in the past 20 years than couples of similar age groups in prior eras.
Getting divorced later in life can reportedly have negative implications on physical, mental and emotional health, especially for women. These adverse effects are often prompted by financial concerns, which many people suffer after a later-in-life divorce. Current data shows that approximately 27 percent of women who divorce at age 55 or after live at or below the poverty level.
By comparison, only 11 percent of men in similar situations live at or below the poverty level. Financial problems often spark health problems, especially when people can no longer afford to purchase healthy food products and resort to eating less expensive, not-so-healthy foods instead. Foods high in sodium and saturated fat are known to cause a lot of health issues. People who become single again after decades of marriage are sometimes prone to other high-risk behaviors, as well, such as overspending or promiscuity, which can also have a negative impact on their health.
Later-in-life divorce can sometimes cause feelings of isolation and loneliness, as well as sleep-related problems, all of which may stem from simply being used to sharing a household with the same person for so many years. Many financial and health problems can be avoided by maximizing one’s options for asset protection when navigating a so-called “gray divorce.” An experienced New Jersey family law attorney can provide valuable guidance and strong support throughout proceedings.