Couples who are over the age of 65 are seeing a significant increase in the rate of divorce. Since the 1990s, the divorce rate for those over the age of 65 has tripled, while for those over the age of 55, the divorce rate has doubled. When you consider that one in 10 people who are divorcing in 2025 are over the age of 65, it is a phenomenon that psychologists struggle to make sense of.
Divorce for those over the age of 55 is known as “gray divorce.” The increase in divorce among older Americans leaves a growing number of aging adults alone – and often financially insecure – in their “golden” years. Experts have had difficulty pinpointing the exact reasons for gray divorce, but typically attribute it to our increased longevity and the fact that people are less willing to endure unhappy marriages.