到2022年年中,瑪麗知道自己必須離開結(jié)婚近20年的丈夫,。
雖然她和即將成為前夫的丈夫仍然保持著融洽的關(guān)系,,但瑪麗表示(為了在訴訟過程中暢所欲言,要求不透露自己的姓氏),,在過去的幾年里,,他們的政治觀點(diǎn)開始日益兩極分化,,她與他在一起或在他們的社區(qū)中不再有家的感覺。她花了大約一年的時(shí)間來考慮這個(gè)決定,,并鞏固自己的財(cái)務(wù)狀況,,去年11月,這對(duì)夫婦分居了,。
瑪麗說:"我才意識(shí)到,,我的生活毫無樂趣可言。我有一種負(fù)罪感,,我遇到的每個(gè)女人都有這種負(fù)罪感,。我覺得自己應(yīng)該為他的幸福負(fù)責(zé)。但后來有一天我想,,我還有10年,,也許15年的時(shí)光,我要去辦理離婚,?!?/p>
做這個(gè)決定并非易事。瑪麗今年69歲,,由于殘疾,,她已經(jīng)多年沒有全職工作了。除了每月的社會(huì)保險(xiǎn)金和根據(jù)離婚協(xié)議收到的任何款項(xiàng)外,,她并沒有多少收入,。她也不想讓自己仍然關(guān)心的伴侶措手不及,而且她擔(dān)心兩次離婚給自己帶來污名(她在本世紀(jì)初與第一任丈夫離婚),。當(dāng)許多夫妻都為無需照顧孩子而感到高興,,并在離開職場(chǎng)后享受新獲得的自由時(shí),瑪麗卻選擇了不穩(wěn)定和混亂,。
但就像許多年過50,、似乎失去一切的女人一樣,瑪麗還是執(zhí)意要離婚,?!盎疑x婚”(50歲以上的人離婚)在美國(guó)急劇上升,老年夫妻的離婚率是上世紀(jì)90年代的兩倍(65歲以上的離婚率是上世紀(jì)90年代的三倍),。在異性戀關(guān)系中,,絕大多數(shù)離婚都是由X世代和嬰兒潮時(shí)期出生的女性提出的,她們通常比男性伴侶面臨更多的財(cái)務(wù)風(fēng)險(xiǎn),。事實(shí)上,,一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),50歲以后離婚的女性的生活水平下降了45%,,而男性的生活水平則下降了21%,。根據(jù)美國(guó)人口普查局(Census Bureau)的數(shù)據(jù),,約20%的女性在離婚后一年內(nèi)陷入貧困,而男性的這一比例為11%,。
瑪麗知道,,為了自己的幸福,她將犧牲穩(wěn)定的生活和帶花園(親自打理)的漂亮房屋,。她現(xiàn)在住在第一任丈夫的一間出租屋里(他們?nèi)匀皇桥笥眩?,同時(shí)她和第二任丈夫正在處理離婚的細(xì)節(jié)問題,比如退休賬戶的分割,,以及她是否會(huì)得到配偶贍養(yǎng)費(fèi),。分居近一年后,瑪麗準(zhǔn)備簽署離婚文件,,正式開始新生活,。但有一個(gè)問題尤其讓他們的離婚程序停滯不前:他們的房子該怎么辦?
“這是我們雙方取得進(jìn)展的唯一途徑”
瑪麗和前夫如今至少討論了四種不同的資產(chǎn)分割方案,,其中包括他們?cè)诟ゼ醽喼輷碛械姆孔?。這套房子購(gòu)于2014年,多年來與他們的其他投資一起大幅增值,;比價(jià)顯示,,這套房子的價(jià)值略高于100萬美元。
理財(cái)專家表示,,在灰色離婚訴訟中,,房子成為主要阻礙之一并不罕見。誠(chéng)然,,房子不僅僅是一個(gè)居住的地方,,里面滿是回憶和紀(jì)念品,除了經(jīng)濟(jì)上的考慮之外,,還有情感上的聯(lián)系?,旣愄岬剑m然這并不適用于她(她并不是在現(xiàn)在的房子里撫養(yǎng)孩子長(zhǎng)大的),,但房子尤會(huì)讓許多年長(zhǎng)的女性感到一種特殊的聯(lián)系,,因?yàn)樗齻兊纳矸菖c家庭住宅聯(lián)系在一起,多年來(往往長(zhǎng)達(dá)數(shù)十年),,她們大部分的勞動(dòng)都是在家里完成的,。
約翰遜金融集團(tuán)(Johnson Financial Group)的高級(jí)副總裁兼理財(cái)顧問凱莉·穆爾德(Kelly Mould)說,離婚后出售房屋通常是勢(shì)在必行的,。許多年長(zhǎng)的夫婦完全擁有這些房產(chǎn),或者擁有重要股權(quán),,這使它們成為夫婦最有價(jià)值的資產(chǎn),。即使其中一方想留在以前的房子里,,他或她也可能無力支付房款、稅款和維護(hù)費(fèi)用等,。
穆爾德說:“即使這并不是一個(gè)明智的財(cái)務(wù)選擇,,你經(jīng)常會(huì)看到當(dāng)事人不遺余力地試圖保留房產(chǎn)。擁有一位優(yōu)秀的律師和理財(cái)顧問通常會(huì)讓你更容易做出決定……他們?cè)谔岢鲞@些選擇時(shí)不會(huì)帶有可能違背理財(cái)邏輯的感情色彩,?!?/p>
穆爾德說,除非夫妻雙方能自行達(dá)成協(xié)議,,否則許多法院都會(huì)要求在離婚時(shí)出售房屋(不過具體情況因州而異),。盡管如此,她說,,法院越來越接受“特有”的安排,,比如共享計(jì)劃,讓雙方在一年中的不同時(shí)間使用房產(chǎn),,就像度假屋一樣,。
穆爾德說:“法院可能會(huì)接受有創(chuàng)意的方案。但是,,如果行不通,,法院通常會(huì)默認(rèn)能夠結(jié)案的方案?!?/p>
盡管瑪麗不會(huì)再住在那里,,但她和即將成為前夫的人仍在研究最經(jīng)濟(jì)合理的方案。雖然她會(huì)懷念一些小東西——花園,,自己設(shè)計(jì)的客廳壁爐,,多年來熟記過道的雜貨店——但她并不想留下房子??紤]到近年來房?jī)r(jià)大幅上漲,,他們正在想辦法減少潛在出售的稅費(fèi),這也拖慢了出售進(jìn)程,。
她說:“在栽種植物的時(shí)候,,我一直以為它們永遠(yuǎn)會(huì)在這里?!钡拔覀兊姆孔?,如果對(duì)半分,會(huì)給我們帶來很高的資產(chǎn)凈值,。這是我們雙方在經(jīng)濟(jì)上取得進(jìn)展的唯一途徑,。”
也就是說,,她不能長(zhǎng)期住在第一任丈夫的房子里,,她擔(dān)心自己的社會(huì)保險(xiǎn)金和離婚賠償金是否能負(fù)擔(dān)得起自己的公寓,。穆爾德說,父母搬去和成年子女同住在灰色離婚人群中越來越普遍,,這也是瑪麗所希望的,。目前,她正在與她的一個(gè)兒子和他的妻子一起找房子,。他們正在尋找一個(gè)老人套間供她居住,,而她將盡自己所能出錢出力。但考慮到全美房?jī)r(jià)飛漲,,瑪麗并不樂觀,。
盡管經(jīng)歷了各種頭疼的問題和一個(gè)又一個(gè)改變?nèi)松臎Q定,瑪麗說她并不后悔自己迎來的新方向,。她有了可以依靠的群體,,兒子、兄弟姐妹,、最好的朋友和第一任前夫都在她身邊,,而且她還重新找回了自己的初戀:寫作。
“人們總是說我很勇敢,?!彼f。但如果有一件事她可以告訴其他權(quán)衡晚年離婚的利弊的女性,,那就是“你現(xiàn)在可以很快樂,,而且輪到你享受美好時(shí)光了。這對(duì)我來說意義深遠(yuǎn),,現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)成了我的口頭禪,。即使你放棄了房子和有你屁股形狀的安樂椅,但離婚仍能讓你感到欣慰,?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
到2022年年中,瑪麗知道自己必須離開結(jié)婚近20年的丈夫,。
雖然她和即將成為前夫的丈夫仍然保持著融洽的關(guān)系,,但瑪麗表示(為了在訴訟過程中暢所欲言,要求不透露自己的姓氏),,在過去的幾年里,,他們的政治觀點(diǎn)開始日益兩極分化,她與他在一起或在他們的社區(qū)中不再有家的感覺,。她花了大約一年的時(shí)間來考慮這個(gè)決定,,并鞏固自己的財(cái)務(wù)狀況,去年11月,這對(duì)夫婦分居了,。
瑪麗說:"我才意識(shí)到,,我的生活毫無樂趣可言。我有一種負(fù)罪感,,我遇到的每個(gè)女人都有這種負(fù)罪感。我覺得自己應(yīng)該為他的幸福負(fù)責(zé),。但后來有一天我想,,我還有10年,也許15年的時(shí)光,,我要去辦理離婚,。”
做這個(gè)決定并非易事?,旣惤衲?9歲,,由于殘疾,她已經(jīng)多年沒有全職工作了,。除了每月的社會(huì)保險(xiǎn)金和根據(jù)離婚協(xié)議收到的任何款項(xiàng)外,,她并沒有多少收入。她也不想讓自己仍然關(guān)心的伴侶措手不及,,而且她擔(dān)心兩次離婚給自己帶來污名(她在本世紀(jì)初與第一任丈夫離婚),。當(dāng)許多夫妻都為無需照顧孩子而感到高興,并在離開職場(chǎng)后享受新獲得的自由時(shí),,瑪麗卻選擇了不穩(wěn)定和混亂,。
但就像許多年過50、似乎失去一切的女人一樣,,瑪麗還是執(zhí)意要離婚,。“灰色離婚”(50歲以上的人離婚)在美國(guó)急劇上升,,老年夫妻的離婚率是上世紀(jì)90年代的兩倍(65歲以上的離婚率是上世紀(jì)90年代的三倍),。在異性戀關(guān)系中,絕大多數(shù)離婚都是由X世代和嬰兒潮時(shí)期出生的女性提出的,,她們通常比男性伴侶面臨更多的財(cái)務(wù)風(fēng)險(xiǎn),。事實(shí)上,一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),,50歲以后離婚的女性的生活水平下降了45%,,而男性的生活水平則下降了21%。根據(jù)美國(guó)人口普查局(Census Bureau)的數(shù)據(jù),,約20%的女性在離婚后一年內(nèi)陷入貧困,,而男性的這一比例為11%。
瑪麗知道,為了自己的幸福,,她將犧牲穩(wěn)定的生活和帶花園(親自打理)的漂亮房屋,。她現(xiàn)在住在第一任丈夫的一間出租屋里(他們?nèi)匀皇桥笥眩瑫r(shí)她和第二任丈夫正在處理離婚的細(xì)節(jié)問題,,比如退休賬戶的分割,,以及她是否會(huì)得到配偶贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)。分居近一年后,,瑪麗準(zhǔn)備簽署離婚文件,,正式開始新生活。但有一個(gè)問題尤其讓他們的離婚程序停滯不前:他們的房子該怎么辦,?
‘這是我們雙方取得進(jìn)展的唯一途徑’
瑪麗和前夫如今至少討論了四種不同的資產(chǎn)分割方案,,其中包括他們?cè)诟ゼ醽喼輷碛械姆孔印_@套房子購(gòu)于2014年,,多年來與他們的其他投資一起大幅增值,;比價(jià)顯示,這套房子的價(jià)值略高于100萬美元,。
理財(cái)專家表示,,在灰色離婚訴訟中,房子成為主要阻礙之一并不罕見,。誠(chéng)然,,房子不僅僅是一個(gè)居住的地方,里面滿是回憶和紀(jì)念品,,除了經(jīng)濟(jì)上的考慮之外,,還有情感上的聯(lián)系。瑪麗提到,,雖然這并不適用于她(她并不是在現(xiàn)在的房子里撫養(yǎng)孩子長(zhǎng)大的),,但房子尤會(huì)讓許多年長(zhǎng)的女性感到一種特殊的聯(lián)系,因?yàn)樗齻兊纳矸菖c家庭住宅聯(lián)系在一起,,多年來(往往長(zhǎng)達(dá)數(shù)十年),,她們大部分的勞動(dòng)都是在家里完成的。
約翰遜金融集團(tuán)(Johnson Financial Group)的高級(jí)副總裁兼理財(cái)顧問凱莉·穆爾德(Kelly Mould)說,,離婚后出售房屋通常是勢(shì)在必行的,。許多年長(zhǎng)的夫婦完全擁有這些房產(chǎn),或者擁有重要股權(quán),,這使它們成為夫婦最有價(jià)值的資產(chǎn),。即使其中一方想留在以前的房子里,他或她也可能無力支付房款,、稅款和維護(hù)費(fèi)用等,。
穆爾德說:“即使這并不是一個(gè)明智的財(cái)務(wù)選擇,,你經(jīng)常會(huì)看到當(dāng)事人不遺余力地試圖保留房產(chǎn)。擁有一位優(yōu)秀的律師和理財(cái)顧問通常會(huì)讓你更容易做出決定……他們?cè)谔岢鲞@些選擇時(shí)不會(huì)帶有可能違背理財(cái)邏輯的感情色彩,?!?/p>
穆爾德說,除非夫妻雙方能自行達(dá)成協(xié)議,,否則許多法院都會(huì)要求在離婚時(shí)出售房屋(不過具體情況因州而異),。盡管如此,她說,,法院越來越接受“特有”的安排,,比如共享計(jì)劃,讓雙方在一年中的不同時(shí)間使用房產(chǎn),,就像度假屋一樣。
穆爾德說:"法院可能會(huì)接受有創(chuàng)意的方案,。但是,,如果行不通,法院通常會(huì)默認(rèn)能夠結(jié)案的方案,。"
盡管瑪麗不會(huì)再住在那里,,但她和即將成為前夫的人仍在研究最經(jīng)濟(jì)合理的方案。雖然她會(huì)懷念一些小東西——花園,,自己設(shè)計(jì)的客廳壁爐,,多年來熟記過道的雜貨店——但她并不想留下房子??紤]到近年來房?jī)r(jià)大幅上漲,,他們正在想辦法減少潛在出售的稅費(fèi),這也拖慢了出售進(jìn)程,。
她說:“在栽種植物的時(shí)候,,我一直以為它們永遠(yuǎn)會(huì)在這里?!钡拔覀兊姆孔?,如果對(duì)半分,會(huì)給我們帶來很高的資產(chǎn)凈值,。這是我們雙方在經(jīng)濟(jì)上取得進(jìn)展的唯一途徑,。”
也就是說,,她不能長(zhǎng)期住在第一任丈夫的房子里,,她擔(dān)心自己的社會(huì)保險(xiǎn)金和離婚賠償金是否能負(fù)擔(dān)得起自己的公寓。穆爾德說,,父母搬去和成年子女同住在灰色離婚人群中越來越普遍,,這也是瑪麗所希望的,。目前,她正在與她的一個(gè)兒子和他的妻子一起找房子,。他們正在尋找一個(gè)老人套間供她居住,,而她將盡自己所能出錢出力。但考慮到全美房?jī)r(jià)飛漲,,瑪麗并不樂觀,。
盡管經(jīng)歷了各種頭疼的問題和一個(gè)又一個(gè)改變?nèi)松臎Q定,瑪麗說她并不后悔自己迎來的新方向,。她有了可以依靠的群體,,兒子、兄弟姐妹,、最好的朋友和第一任前夫都在她身邊,,而且她還重新找回了自己的初戀:寫作。
“人們總是說我很勇敢,?!彼f。但如果有一件事她可以告訴其他權(quán)衡晚年離婚的利弊的女性,,那就是“你現(xiàn)在可以很快樂,,而且輪到你享受美好時(shí)光了。這對(duì)我來說意義深遠(yuǎn),,現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)成了我的口頭禪,。即使你放棄了房子和有你屁股形狀的安樂椅,但離婚仍能讓你感到欣慰,?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
By mid-2022, Mary knew she needed to leave her husband of almost 20 years.
While she and her soon-to-be-ex-husband still have a cordial relationship, Mary—who asked that her last name be withheld to talk freely about her divorce in the midst of the proceedings—says they began to have increasingly polarized political views over the past few years, and she didn’t feel at home anymore with him or among their community. She took about a year to think through the decision and shore up her finances, and last November, the couple separated.
“I just realized, I had no joy in my life,” Mary says. “I have this sense of guilt that every woman I’ve ever met has had. I feel responsible for his happiness. But then there came a day where I thought, I have 10 years, maybe 15—I’m going to do it.”
It wasn’t an easy decision. Mary is 69 and hasn’t worked full-time in years because of a disability. She would be left without much in the way of income aside from her monthly Social Security payments and whatever she receives in the settlement. She also didn’t want to blindside her partner, whom she still cares for, and she feared the stigma associated with being twice divorced (she separated from her first husband in the early 2000s). At a time when many couples are happy to be child-free and enjoying newfound freedom after leaving the workforce, Mary was opting for instability and chaos.
But like many women over 50 who seemingly have everything to lose, Mary pushed forward with the divorce anyway. “Gray divorce”—the term for separations that occur over the age of 50—is skyrocketing in the U.S., with older couples separating at twice the rate they did in the 1990s (the rate is triple for those over 65). And in heterosexual relationships, the vast majority of them are initiated by Gen X and baby boomer women, who typically have far more on the line financially than their male partners. In fact, one study found women who divorce after 50 experience a 45% decline in their standard of living, while men see theirs drop by 21%. Around 20% of women become impoverished in the year after a divorce, according to the Census Bureau, compared with 11% of men.
Mary knew she’d be sacrificing stability and a beautiful home with a hand-tended garden for her happiness. She’s now living in a rented room in her first husband’s house (they remain friends) while she and her second spouse work out the details of their split, like divvying up retirement accounts and whether she’ll receive spousal support. Almost a year after they separated, Mary is ready to sign the papers and officially move on. But one issue in particular has stalling the proceedings: What happens to their home?
‘It’s the only way either of us can move forward’
Mary and her ex have now discussed at least four different plans when it comes to splitting assets, including the house they own in Virginia. Purchased in 2014, it’s grown in value considerably over the years alongside their other investments; comps put the value at just over $1 million.
Financial experts say it’s not unusual for the house to be one of the major holdups in gray divorce proceedings. A home is, of course, more than a place to live. It’s filled with memories and mementos, and there are emotional connections in addition to financial concerns. Mary mentions that though this doesn’t apply to her (she didn’t raise her children in the current home), many older women, especially, feel a special connection because they have their identity tied up in the family home, where they performed most of their labor over the years—often for decades.
But it is usually imperative to sell the home postdivorce, says Kelly Mould, senior vice president and financial advisor at Johnson Financial Group. Many older couples own them outright or have significant equity built up, making them the couple’s most valuable assets. Even if one partner wants to stay in the home, he or she might not be able to afford the payments, taxes, upkeep, and so on.
“Often you will see parties go to great lengths to try to retain the property, even when it’s not a good financial move,” says Mould. “Having a good attorney and financial advisor can usually make this an easier decision…They present those options without the sentimentality that can run afoul of financial logic.”
Unless the couple can come to an agreement on their own, many courts will require the sale of the home in a divorce, says Mould (though this differs from situation to situation and state to state). That said, she says courts are increasingly accepting “unique” arrangements, like shared plans that give each partner access to the property—like a vacation home—at different times of the year.
“A court may entertain a creative option. However, if it doesn’t work, the court most often defaults to a plan that closes the case,” says Mould.
Mary and her soon-to-be-ex are still working out what makes the most financial sense, although she will not be living there again. While she will miss the small things—her gardens, the fireplace she designed in the living room, the grocery store whose aisles she’s memorized over the years—she doesn’t want it. Given how much home prices have appreciated in recent years, they are trying to work out a way to lessen the tax bill on a potential sale, which is slowing down the process.
“There’s not a plant I didn’t plant there thinking it would be there forever,” she says. But “our house, it would give us good equity if we just sliced it right in half. It’s the only way either of us can move forward financially.”
That said, she can’t live in her first husband’s home long term and is worried about being able to afford her own apartment with her Social Security payments and whatever she gets from the divorce settlement. Mould says parents moving in with their adult children is increasingly common among gray divorcées, and that’s what Mary hopes will happen. Right now, she is looking for a home with one of her sons and his wife. They are seeking an in-law suite for her to live in, and she would contribute what she’s able to. But given how high home prices across the country have spiraled, Mary isn’t optimistic.
Despite all of the headaches and life-changing decision after life-changing decision, Mary said she doesn’t regret her new direction. She has community to lean into—her sons, siblings, best friend, and first ex-husband have all rallied around her—and has gotten back to her first love: writing.
“People keep telling me I’m brave,” she says. But if there is one thing she could communicate to other women weighing the pros and cons of a later-in-life divorce, it is that “you can be happy now. It’s your turn. That’s pretty profound for me, that’s a bit of a mantra now. Even if you give up the house and the easy chair with the shape of your butt, it’s so comforting.”