Every marital split will have its own unique challenges. Couples are more likely to encounter the same or similar challenges depending on when they are getting divorced, though. For example, North Carolina couples who file for divorce after 10 years of marriage will likely deal with issues different than those of couples who have 20 or more years of marriage behind them.
Divorce after 10 years
It is not at all uncommon for divorce following a decades long marriage to heavily focus on child-related matters. At this point, couples often have young children, making things like child custody and support important. Parents will have a number of questions they need to answer when deciding on how to create a custody agreement that truly focuses on their child’s best interests, including:
- Is daycare necessary?
- Who will transport the child to and from extracurricular activities?
- How will parents split school related costs?
Divorce after 20 plus years
The focus generally shifts after two or more decades of marriage. By this point in time, children are often in their late teens or are adults themselves, and while there may still be custody or child support issues to attend to, they are not necessarily the main focus. Instead, alimony tends to take center stage. If one person gave up 20 years of his or her career to raise children, care for relatives or support their spouse’s career, alimony may be key to securing a good financial future.
Of course, there are couples who divorce at the 20-year mark with young children, and those who divorce after 10 years with none. Every family and marriage in North Carolina is unique. So while it might be helpful to rely on generalizations that also happen to apply to one’s own situation, it may also be worthwhile to seek guidance on family law matters that may feel confusing or difficult at first glance.