What is a Gray Divorce in Florida?

Over the past decade or so, the term “gray divorce” has become used in relation to a trend in divorce filings: those among older adults. The language of the “gray divorce” came into use back in 2012 following a published study by researchers at Bowling Green State University. What those researchers determined was that the rate of divorce for adults aged 50 and older doubled between the years 1990 and 2010 while overall divorce rates (and particularly among younger age groups) declined. Those researchers updated their study in 2024 and found that, although divorce rates declined for all age groups during the early years of the pandemic, we are once again seeing a rise in “gray divorce” filings, and, in particular, “multiple gray divorces.”

What should you consider if you are among those who are thinking about a gray divorce? Our Port St. Lucie divorce lawyers can provide you with more information.

Trend of Gray Divorce Among Adults Aged 50 and Older

As we noted above, gray divorces remain common in Florida and throughout the country, and in recent years, researchers have even identified a trend toward “multiple gray divorces,” meaning getting divorced more than once while you are over the age of 50. What are the reasons driving gray divorces in the country?

According to a recent report from NPR, there are a handful of factors that tend to contribute toward gray divorce filings:

• Living longer than previous generations, meaning that more people are living into much older age and making different decisions for themselves as they age and remain healthy;
• Our culture has become more accepting of divorce;
• Women have become more financially independent over the last several decades; and
• In our current cultural moment, spouses “just expect more from a marriage or partnership,” and if they are not getting it, they are more likely to consider divorce.

Considerations for Older Adults Thinking About Divorce

If you are considering a gray divorce, what are some of the issues you should be focusing on? The same laws will apply to your divorce, but you may want to pay special attention to some of the following issues:

• How property division will occur after decades of acquiring assets and accruing debt together;
• Effect of a long-term marriage on alimony; and
• Financial consequences of going from a two-income household to a single-income household while living on retirement benefits.

Contact Our Port St. Lucie Family Lawyers Today to Discuss Your Gray Divorce in Florida

There is no age limit on divorce, and it is becoming more and more common for older adults to file for divorce as they are nearing or during retirement. While gray divorce does come with particular considerations, it is often a process that is ultimately freeing for those who become single after many years in an unhappy or unfulfilling marriage. If you want to find out more about filing for divorce as a retiree and what you can expect, you should get in touch with one of the experienced Port St. Lucie divorce attorneys at Baginski Brandt & Brandt. We can speak with you today to learn more about your circumstances and to answer any questions you have about filing for divorce after retirement or as you are planning to retire. Once you are ready to move forward with your divorce petition, our firm can assist you throughout the process.

Sources: 

npr.org/2025/08/21/nx-s1-5507175/whats-behind-the-trend-of-so-called-gray-divorces

bgsu.edu/ncfmr/resources/data/family-profiles/FP-24-22.html

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/0061.html