Is the Recession Causing Couples to Delay Divorce?
As the recession deepens and unemployment rises, people are putting off divorce. However, experts say many couples today have personal and financial reasons for not postponing their divorces.

July 17, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Is the Recession Causing Couples to Delay Divorce?

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The global economic downturn has forced people to cut back on luxuries, postpone purchases of big-ticket items and even shelve divorce while they wait for an economic recovery.

As the recession deepens and unemployment rises, people are putting off the emotional and financial pain of divorce, according to a recent survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). By an almost two-to-one margin, attorney respondents said they typically see a decline in divorces during economic downturns.

The survey shows that 37 percent of lawyers see a decrease in divorces in economic downturns, with only 19 percent experiencing an increase.

Historical statistics show that during the Great Depression, divorce and fertility rates both dropped, as some couples put off splitting and others put off having children because of economic difficulties. After the start of World War II and the end of the Depression, both divorce rates and fertility rates rose above pre-Depression rates.

Experts say many couples today have personal and financial reasons for not postponing their divorces. In many cases, couples opt for cost-cutting measures in divorce that professionals say can haunt them in the form of unfavorable divorce terms.

Post-divorce modifications increase
The AAML reports a "rapidly rising number" of divorced spouses are requesting changes to child support and alimony arrangements made during divorces. The group says 39 percent of divorce attorneys report an increase in requests for modifications to child support payments, with another 42 percent reporting a rise in the number of changes to spousal support payments.

Worldwide phenomenon
A study by Great Britain accountants indicates that couples there are putting off divorce because depressed housing prices make it difficult to sell jointly owned homes. Divorce in the UK is at a 26-year low.

There are also media reports of decreases in divorces in India and New Zealand.

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