Divorce Mediation may be an Alternative for Utah Couples
Sociologists are calling this the first instance in American history that the number of married couples divorcing has become greater than those who become separated by death. Many Utah residents may already know that divorce mediation is a feasible alternative for couples who have acquired a lifetime of assets that need to be divided when separating. This can be an amicable way to end a marriage.
It should be no surprise to anyone that people are living longer compared to those from 100 years ago. However, people are just not staying together for their entire lives anymore. The reported divorce rate of people 50 and over has almost doubled since 1990 alone. The surprising numbers from an American Community Survey, conducted by the Census Bureau, states that the divorce rate among Americans over the age of 50 was only 2.8 percent just a half-century ago, and the numbers since then have only increased.
Some sociologists are calling this phenomenon “gray” divorce. This is said to be started by the now aging baby boomers that can no longer live together “until death do us part” as the saying goes. When marriage counseling has failed and trying to resolve their differences isn’t working, older couples have taken to divorce in an attempt to live out the remainder of their lives as individuals now that there is no need to stay together for the children’s sake.
If all other avenues have failed and the marriage just is not working, divorce may be the answer for some. Under Utah law, there are statutes outlining how the division of property is to take place in a divorce when a judge is making the decisions. However, many couples often leave the courtroom dissatisfied with the outcome. To avoid a long and messy court battle, and to have as much control over the process as possible, seeking divorce mediation could be the way for both parties to walk away satisfied that they were treated fairly.
Source: nytimes.com, Divorce After 50 Grows More Common, Sam Roberts, Sept. 20, 2013
