Senior Love: A Navigational Guide to Making the Most of Your Golden-Year Marriage Together
Posted on by Sara Bailey
Romance is not just a young person's game. Dating sites and apps geared specifically towards seniors make locating partners easier than ever for older individuals. If you are a senior who recently found and married your golden-year love, doing a few things can help make your union smoother so you can enjoy the rest of your lives together to the utmost. Marriage In A Box recommends the following:
Figure Out Your Habitation Situation
Married couples typically cohabitate, but it can be a struggle to decide whether you should move in with your new spouse or he or she should move in with you. Purchasing a new home together is a potential solution. Considerations you need to discuss with each other include the budget, proximity to family, and space.
Stand Unified on Finances
Research shows that financial issues are one of the leading causes of divorce. Since you married later in life, both you and your spouse likely have more assets than younger couples just starting out would. Carefully consider if you want to keep finances completely separate and split all expenses, have a joint account just for household costs, and mix nothing else or merge everything.
Whatever you decide, it must be a unanimous decision between the two of you. Discuss major purchases beforehand regardless of what you choose, because it may affect your partner as well.
Update your estate plan and will or seek legal counsel and create them if you don't already have them. You may feel like there's no rush since life expectancy is predicted to be longer in the coming decades and you have plenty of time, but statistics show that approximately 50% of individuals die without a will. Both you and your new spouse have existing loved ones (children, grandchildren, siblings, friends, etc.) to consider as well as a new husband or wife. It is imperative to get in agreement about your separate or collective estates. If you don't have a plan, it can cause conflict in probate after your decease between other heirs and your spouse.
Bond Over Shared Interests
Marriage takes work to keep the relationship strong. While you obviously share interests that brought you together in the first place, you need to spend time together to continue strengthening your bond and alleviate boredom. Shared experiences serve to make your connection and intimacy with each other stronger.
One way to do this is to volunteer for a charity you both support; you can even help out online. Explore the world together. Combine and complete your bucket lists together.
Another way you can spend time together while also padding your retirement income is by starting a business together. Becoming an entrepreneur is not like clocking into another 9-to-5 job. It doesn't have to be anything complicated or with a high educational or economic cost to get into. Simple ideas such as pet care, tutoring, freelance writing or web design, babysitting, or selling crafts are viable options that grant you extra room in your budget while allowing you the flexibility and free time to live the life you want.
Maintain an Open and Honest Relationship Based on Respect, Love, and Understanding
Communication, mutual respect, understanding, and plain compassion and empathy for your spouse are key to maintaining a marriage. Misunderstandings caused by poor communication can cause major issues. Talk frequently, about everything, and, as the old adage goes, don't go to sleep angry.
Going into the commitment with a firm understanding that you are now part of a whole and need to be together on important issues can help your marriage stay strong as you continue your lives together.
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