by Travers & Travers | Jul 21, 2020 | Divorce

Some people may wait until later in life to divorce because they believe it will be easier for their children. Gray divorce still has an impact on children even if they are adults. It also can cause issues for grandchildren.

While you may not have to worry about child support or parenting plans, you still should keep your children and grandchildren in mind when embarking on a gray divorce. Fatherly explains that divorcing can lead to financial and emotional consequences for your children and grandchildren.

Financial impact

For adult children, the financial impact of a divorce is not always something that may happen right away but rather it changes their inheritance. It may also impact other financial promises you made, such as paying for college expenses. This may cause a child to have to rethink his or her own estate and future. It can be a major change in some cases if the divorce was expensive or if the parents had to sell assets to split them.

Emotional impact

Even though your children are adults, they still will process the divorce like a child. You are their parents, and the idea of you no longer being together is something that many adults may struggle with. If it was an unexpected occurrence, it may even lead to hard feelings between you and them.

Grandchildren may react similarly to how you would expect your children to have acted if you divorced earlier. They may not understand and may be unsure of how to accept the new situation.

The whole dynamic of the family changes. It can take time to find new routines and accept the changes. Not everyone will be happy or understand. This can place strain on the family unit.