Members of the baby boomer generation reshaped the cultural landscape of America during their younger years, and as they approach middle age and retirement, they are altering the country’s perception of divorce. Boomers have bucked trends throughout their lives, and they are doing it again. While middle-age divorce was once fairly rare, boomers are now getting divorced in much higher numbers.

Data show that greater than 25 percent of adults over the age of 50 get divorced. But just 20 years earlier, that number was only 10 percent. Interestingly, however, while boomers are divorcing in higher numbers than their predecessors, the overall divorce rate is falling by a small degree. Research has attempted to understand the reasons behind this change and what it means for the future.

Some suggest that boomers are more willing to get divorced because of demographic factors. They argue that divorce is easier and more appealing if a person can survive the separation financially. Boomers made great strides in gender equality, and many wives have jobs that can offer them independence outside of marriage. Others add that many boomers’ children are adults now, allowing some to divorce who were waiting for the children to leave the house.

Still others point to philosophical reasons. Boomers have traditionally espoused a belief in personal happiness, so it may be that they are more willing to leave a marriage that leaves them unfulfilled. In fact, a survey found that two-thirds of boomers would rather be divorced than live in an unhappy union.

While experts are able to cite a myriad of reasons for the “gray divorce” phenomenon, there are fewer answers to the question of what long-term effect it will have on marriage and divorce. What will likely remain unchanged, however, are the issues that divorcing couples must work out, including property settlement and alimony.

Source: The Kansas City Star, “Generation Ex: Boomer couples are divorcing at a record rate,” Rick Montgomery, Mar. 31, 2012.