Before we arrive at wedding season’s summer peak, people might as well know what resources exist for their divorce. It is easy to find the official divorce forms on the Courts webpage. Filling them out is even quicker and easier with the I-CAN! online interactive forms. The language of the forms has been updated for gender neutrality. Likewise, it is easy to work with the Family Self-Help Center to have your forms reviewed, or to speak to a volunteer lawyer about your situation. If people still have questions, they are more than welcome to check the information resources we have at the law library. After all, divorce can be complicated, especially where children or real estate are involved.
One modern trend might come with unique complications of its own. Here I speak of the growing trend of senior divorce (commonly known as “gray divorce”). Even as divorce rates have stabilized or declined for other age groups, the rate among people 50 and older has doubled since 1990. This increase is due to numerous reasons, but is mostly just an evolution away from a time when an unhappy older couple automatically stayed legally married regardless of marital satisfaction or circumstances. Regarding the complications, senior divorce is likely to involve more assets to divide and more health and retirement issues to account for.
Whether you are a senior facing divorce in your near future, you may as well know that your divorce is less likely to be quick and simple. Read Nolo’s Special Issues in Late-Life Divorce to get an idea of what you may face. We also have Divorce after 50: Your Guide to the Unique Legal & Financial Challenges (Nolo 2013) by Janice Green. If you are an attorney that works with older divorce clients, valuing the couple’s unique assets may not be a simple task. There is always the trustworthy Family Law Financial Deskbook (MN CLE 2d Ed. 2014) for your convenience, but be aware of some of the other resources we have available to help:
- Valuation and Distribution of Marital Property (LexisNexis) by J. McCahey & B. Aldeman. (Three-volume set – annually updated.)
- Valuation of Divorce Assets (ThompsonWest Rev. Ed. 2005) by B. Goldberg. (Two-volume set – annually updated.)
- Valuation of Pensions in Divorce (Wolters Kluwer 5th Ed.) by M. Altschuler. (One volume – annually updated.)
