Flying Solo/Life Management Survey -- Over Age 50 Results
	MALE	FEMALE	TOTALS
	==========	=========	==========
I. SEX OF RESPONDENT	43%	57%
	1,767	1,380	3147
II. MARITAL STATUS & INFORMATION
1) Separated	21%	31%	799
2) Divorced	19%	21%	626
3) Seeking Information About Divorce	60%	48%	1722
4) Length of Marriage At Time Survey Completed -- Includes Multiple Marriages
1 - 7 Years	3%	5%	122
8 - 12 Years	5%	7%	185
13 - 20 Years	6%	11%	258
21 - 25 Years	13%	24%	561
26 - 30 Years	53%	41%	1502
more than 30 Years	20%	12%	519
5) Avg length of marriage (Years)	27.4	25.2
6) As To Those Who Are Divorced, # of Mo's between Separation And Divorce
6 months or less	9%	13%	338
more than 6 months	91%	87%	2809
7) As To Those Who Are Divorced, # of Years since Divorce
1 year or less	67%	71%	2164
more than 1 year	33%	29%	983
8) # of Marriages
one	63%	72%	2106
two	29%	19%	776
three or more	8%	9%	266
III. RESPONDENT'S PERSONAL INFORMATION
1) Age at separation (yrs)
50 - 55	8%	12%	307
56 - 60	35%	27%	991
61 - 65	22%	28%	775
66 - 70	18%	16%	539
71 - 75	7%	9%	248
75 and over	10%	8%	287
2) Average age at separation (yrs)	65.6	64.2
3) Education level
high school only	57%	71%	1987
some college	19%	19%	598
college degree	11%	6%	277
graduate degree	13%	4%	285
IV. INFORMATION ABOUT CHILDREN	MALE	FEMALE
1) Number
0	7%	3%	165
1	8%	6%	224
2	53%	61%	1778
3 or more	32%	30%	979
2) Children's Ages(s) at Separation (in Years)
1 - 9	0%	0%
10 - 18	9%	11%
19 - 22	37%	42%
23 and over	66%	51%
(exceeds 100%)
3) One or more in college	25%	17%	676
V. EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
1) Full-time	27%	18%
2) Part-time (<35 hours/wk)	31%	19%
3) Two jobs	5%	7%
4) Unemployed	7%	31%
5) Retired	30%	25%
6) Of unemployed, need training to work	55%	75%
7) Of employed, began work after	23%	33%
separation of necessity	0%	87%
8) Income
Wages	$30,900	$15,300
Retirement-Social Security	$14,100	$7,500
VI. ECONOMIC DECISION MAKING
1) Before separation, was Respondent…
Active in making decisions	88%	27%
Somewhat active	12%	31%
Inactive	0%	42%
2) During marriage, who decided
insurance	89%	13%
mortgages	90%	11%
loans	90%	9%
investments	88%	7%
retirement	77%	9%
children's education	66%	33%
credit	93%	19%
IMPORTANT TOPICS YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT
VII. AREAS OF CONCERN	MALE	FEMALE
1) Since separation
understanding divorce	67%	83%
understanding judicial system	51%	75%
how to deal with lawyers	84%	97%
remarriage questions	66%	19%
employment/benefits	33%	81%
financial management	34%	87%
life insurance	45%	65%
health problems -- long term care	71%	96%
health coverage	74%	91%
disability/long-term care coverage	79%	95%
auto insurance	5%	43%
h'owners insurance	4%	32%
housing	41%	87%
moving	11%	86%
education of children	5%	32%
education/training self	2%	83%
credit	6%	79%
retirement	67%	97%
VIII. FAMILY ECONOMIC INFORMATION
1) Family worth (in dollars)
50,000 - 99,999	8%	22%	445
100,000 - 200,000	33%	17%	818
201,000 - 300,000	35%	32%	1060
301,000 - 400,000	14%	23%	565
more than 401,000	10%	6%	259
2) Average family worth ($'s)	$234,000	$232,000
3) Knew worth before divorce	97%	17%
4) Family assets include
home	93%	84%
pension	82%	67%
stock	77%	79%
savings	94%	88%
IRA	15%	8%
IX. WHAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER?
1) Improve relationship with lawyer	86%	90%
return calls	66%	78%
better service	52%	79%
better billing	67%	76%
better understanding of system	82%	97%
more information	97%	99%
	MALE	FEMALE
2) Learn about effects of divorce
before the fact	55%	94%
topics of interest
the system	71%	97%
how lawyers work	89%	93%
dealing with counselors	53%	56%
economics of divorce	79%	98%
insurance	41%	97%
safe investments	35%	97%
dealing with salesmen	33%	97%
taxes	38%	93%
credit	27%	95%
custody/visitation	16%	21%
making a budget	19%	90%
keeping a budget	14%	94%
3) Find an affordable resource	64%	92%
Lawyer	75%	87%
Support group	31%	79%
Books	51%	61%
Workshop with materials	87%	Email to a Friend Need more advice or help with this topic? Click here to get information about taking the "Next Step".