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A return to work might prevent a gray divorce

On Behalf of | Oct 20, 2017 | Property Division

Houston is a great place to build a family, a career, a home and a life. Many of our city’s residents are living the American dream and hope to one day retire here. Though retirement is commonly viewed as a golden age in which couples can enjoy the fruits of their labors, it can for some people have an unintended consequence: too much time together.

A recent Forbes article says that some older, retired couples are choosing an alternative to retirement: reviving their careers on a part-time basis or finding new lines of work that keep them busy for a few hours per day or a few days per week. In that way, spouses who have spent decades in marriage can avoid the boredom and even hostility that can be a part of suddenly finding themselves together 24 hours a day and 7 days a week in retirement.

A return to work can for many stave off feelings of too-closeness, the article states. And that can mean fewer so-called gray divorces that can include difficult disputes over retirement accounts, a 401(k), pensions, property and more.

One woman interviewed by Forbes said that it was a strain to suddenly have her formerly busy-with-work husband around the house all the time. “I married him for life,” she said with a wry smile, “not for lunch.”

The publication notes that since 1990, the divorce rate for couples over the age of 50 has doubled. During that same period, the divorce rates for people in all other age groups dropped.

A return to work might well save many marriages, but for others it will simply prove to be inadequate. For them, the prospect of divorce is an unwanted development late in life.

With the help of an attorney experienced in asset protection and resolution of complex property division disputes, you can navigate a difficult time and complicated legal process.