Empty nesters, or parents whose children have moved out of the house, sometimes decide to get divorced. This can often be surprising to family members and friends, as a couple has been married for a significant amount of time – decades, in many cases – before deciding to end the relationship.
While every case is unique, there are many potential reasons for an empty nest divorce. Three of the most common are noted below.
The marriage was never perfect
Parents at this age are often thinking about the future. They may realize that the marriage was never perfect and they were never fully happy in the relationship. Now that life is changing, they want to focus on what makes them happy moving forward.
Parenting was distracting
Another thing to consider is that parents may not have realized how unhappy they were in their own marriage. Parenting their children can be distracting and takes a lot of time and energy, but the issues in the relationship become obvious once the kids move out.
Waiting for the kids to grow up
Finally, some parents only decide to stay together for their children. A couple may have been talking about divorce since their children were in middle school, for example, but they may have agreed to stay together for five more years, until the kids graduate from high school.
The financial side of an empty nest divorce can often be complicated, even though couples do not have to address child custody issues. That is why it is so important for them to understand their legal options when their marriage ends.
