As recently reported by The Washington Post, some married couples are now deciding to wait out the economic downturn rather than suffer the financial consequences of divorce. Alternatively, many spouses who desire to go their separate ways are turning to different options, such as living together while considering themselves technically separated. This, of course, raises a legal issue of whether the spouses are “separated” under the law.
Couples who initiate divorce proceedings during these tough economic times are faced with the traditional legal, household, and support expenses; however, those who have been hit hard by the economic downturn are finding it increasingly difficult to divide into two households. This inability to pay the expenses of maintaining two households translates into the unfortunate reality that many couples face today: staying in an unhappy marriage in order to avoid greater financial stress and complications.
Although studies indicate that the national divorce rate has decreased slightly in the past few years, this new information indicates that more couples may be staying together simply because they cannot afford to be apart.