Augusta Military Divorce Attorney – Is divorce rate a leading economic indicator?

Augusta Military Divorce Attorney – Is divorce rate a leading economic indicator?

BY MICHAEL B. GILDEN – The Miami Herald

There have been some recent suggestions and statistical studies which indicate that the divorce rate in the past several months has actually dropped in certain parts of this country, including in Florida. This would run contrary to long-term studies which have shown the rate of divorce to approach, if not exceed, 50 percent in the United States. Moreover, this divorce trend has seemingly been on a continuous rise.

Is divorce recession proof?

The depths to which our country’s economy has sunk over the past year may have a correlation with this recent downward divorce trend. Many divorce lawyers had always maintained the opinion that divorce law is a recession-proof specialty. In good economic times, people tend to seek freedom from bad marriages so as to enjoy their wealth without the ties that bound them. In bad economic times, couples fought about having less money, which is also one of the leading causes of divorce.

The current economic climate, however, is like nothing anyone has seen in this country for generations. With the decline of the housing market, divorcing couples are no longer assured of a division of equity in what was most people’s most valuable asset, their home. Without the proceeds from the sale of a marital residence, many people did not know where they would acquire funds to purchase a new home for themselves. The situation only became worse as the stock market plummeted and peoples 401(k)’s became 201(k)’s and as securing loans and credit became nearly impossible. At some point, there essentially became an economic disincentive to seek a divorce.

When a glimmer of economic hope begins to flicker, couples might begin to once again seek divorces at a rate more consistent with statistics established in recent decades. Those who have forced themselves to endure bad marriages simply because divorce was unaffordable will seek to dissolve the bounds of matrimony at the first moment that they think better financial times are on the horizon. Economists and Wall Street should take note: Perhaps tracking the rate of divorce filings will be an early indicator of when this economy begins to recover from recession?

The thought of using divorce statistics as an economic indicator is unappealing to many people. It is interesting, however, to consider that one of the most difficult and painful personal decisions that people make about their lives may also foreshadow the end of one of the most difficult and painful economic times that out our country has ever faced.

Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator.  She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney.  She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.