Couples divorcing in their senior years face unique challenges that their younger counterparts may not face. Here are some of the complications you may face when divorcing after several decades of marriage:

Finding a Job May Be Difficult

You may have problems getting your financial life back on track if you are divorcing at a senior age and you were not working during your marriage. This is especially true if you didn't complete your professional education or if your skills are rusty. As such, the rehabilitation alimony that is usually meant for helping divorced spouses get back on their financial feet may not be of much help to you. Instead, you should fight for permanent alimony that continues as long as the present conditions exist. You should also do your best to get the maximum possible share of the marital assets.

Leaving Your Marital Home May Be Difficult

Leaving your marital home may also be difficult, especially if you have been married for a long time and you have been living in the same place for several years. Maybe this is the place where you raised your children or experienced many significant life events.

Your divorce lawyer should help you fight for the marital home if that is what you want. However, you should know that keeping the marital home for emotional purposes is not a wise idea. The house might be too big or expensive for you to maintain or it might come at a costly expense (giving up on other expenses). Therefore, do a thorough evaluation to confirm that you want the house and can afford to keep it before instigating its fight.

Healthcare Will Be a Major Issue

Healthcare is always an issue for divorcing couples, but it is a major issue for those divorcing in your senior years. One reason for this is because old age is associated with multiple health concerns, which means you desperately need health insurance coverage. Secondly, if you depended on your spouse's health care during your marriage, you can only continue with the coverage after s short time after the divorce. At the same time, most people find private health insurance expensive. All these issues seem complicated to you because they are, but your divorce attorney can help you untangle the complications and chart the way forward.

These are complications, yes, but they don't mean that you can't divorce; anyone can divorce irrespective of their age. You just need to consult a divorce lawyer as early as possible to help you figure out a way to deal with the difficulties. To learn more, contact a law firm like Marlene Dancer Adams.