Tomorrow I will turn 50. Once upon a time, that number sounded ancient. Now I know you just feel ancient. Truth is, I’m wiser than I was at 20, wiser than I was at 30, and I know that when I’m 60 or 70, I’ll look back and realize I’ll be wiser still. That’s what life is. You think differently as the years go on because your needs and your concerns change.

If you’re considering divorce later in life, your concerns today are not the ones you had in your 20s. Back then, the focus was on child custody and starting over with young kids. Now, it may look very different.

• Your kids are probably grown. Parenting plans aren’t the issue anymore, but family traditions and adult relationships still matter.
• Your house may be nearly paid off. Instead of deciding “who gets the couch,” you’re talking about one of your biggest financial assets.
• Your retirement account is booming. Or at least it should be. And dividing it fairly matters more now than ever, because there’s less time to rebuild if you don’t get it right.
• Health insurance and estate planning rise to the front. When you’re 50, 60, or older, you have to think about coverage, wills, and beneficiaries in a way you didn’t before.

Divorce at this stage of life feels different. It isn’t about drama or quick decisions — it’s about protecting the life you’ve built and making sure you still have stability for the years ahead.

Lawyer Bill’s Advice

Divorce at 50 doesn’t mean your best days are behind you. It means the next chapter has to be written with wisdom, not impulse. Protect your retirement, rethink your house, update your estate plan, and give yourself permission to start new traditions. You still have plenty of life left — make sure it’s lived well.