When Jane Fonda was 59, she was sitting in the back of her fabulously wealthy husband’s ranch-hand’s truck bouncing back to one of their 23 properties around the world. She realised that in a little more than a few months she would be starting her “third era” as she put it. She spent the next year re-evaluating her life and by 62 had divorced her husband.

Jane Fonda it would seem is not alone. Since 2013, the fastest growing age group to file for a divorce is the over 50s. The Office for National Statistics latest figures show that over a quarter of all divorces are in this age bracket.

A big factor is life expectancy is increasing. Big life changes like redundancy, children leaving home and retirement can change the equilibrium in a relationship and maybe it is because divorce is more socially acceptable?

Whatever the reasons, divorcing when you are close to retirement age is very different to divorcing at the start of your working life. Securing adequate funds to provide for your retirement is key. It is possible for example, to obtain a pension share, although this can only be achieved by court order, although that can be by agreement within divorce proceedings. This is a complex area and expert advice is essential to navigate the process.