Grey divorce is the demographic trend of an increasing divorce rate for older ("grey-haired") couples in long-lasting marriages, a term typically used for people over 50. Those who divorce may be called silver splitters. Divorcing late in life can cause financial difficulties.
Legally, the final stage is when the judge signs and issues the final decree and the decree is filed by the clerk of the court. Practically speaking, the final stage is when the parties carry out the orders, if any, required by the divorce decree, such as transferring property and making any payments.
The introduction of the no-fault divorce law in April 2022 facilitates this, with the minimum time to apply for a final divorce order being about 26 weeks. But, when one spouse is not ready to move on, the spouse can drag out the divorce process beyond this period, even up to a year or more.
A withdrawn divorce occurs when a divorce petition is dismissed in court, and the couple decides to stay legally married. Divorces can take time, and complicated or contested divorces usually take over a year to fully establish and finalize.