TY  - JOUR
A1  - Žilinčíková, Zuzana
A1  - Schnor, Christine
T1  - Who moves out and who keeps the home? Short-term and medium-term mobility consequences of grey divorce in Belgium
Y1  - 2021/07/23
JF  - Demographic Research
JO  - Demographic Research
SN  - 1435-9871
SP  - 291
EP  - 328
DO  - 10.4054/DemRes.2021.45.9
VL  - 45
IS  - 9
UR  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol45/9/
L1  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol45/9/45-9.pdf
L2  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol45/9/45-9.pdf
N2  - Background: Research shows that women are more likely to move out after a separation, but the evidence is largely limited to younger ages. Little is known about short-term and medium-term mobility consequences in the case of a ‘grey divorce’. 

Objective: Focusing on married couples separating at ages 50 to 70, we investigate who leaves the joint home upon separation and in the years immediately following separation. Considering ex-couple characteristics, we contrast the bargaining principle, which predicts higher moving-out rates for women, and the fairness principle, which points to the opposite. 

Methods: Using Belgian register and census data, we study marital couples who separated in 2002 at ages 50 to 70 after a marriage of at least 15 years’ duration. We follow them for three years and estimate their moving patterns using multinomial logistic regressions and continuous-time models that account for the lagged effect of separation. 

Results: Older women have a relative advantage in keeping the home at separation and maintain this advantage in the years following the separation. This finding contrasts with prior findings concerning younger ex-couples. Exceptions are women who are significantly younger than their ex-partner, whose children remain with the father, who live at their husband’s birthplace, and who rent rather than own the home. 

Conclusions: Our findings point to a principle of fairness at play in the moving-out decision among older separating couples. Nonetheless, not all women benefit from this advantage. 

Contribution: We show that post-divorce moving-out patterns are different at older ages. Looking beyond the immediate moment of separation allows for firmer conclusions to be reached about whether the home is eventually kept. 

ER  -