There's some bright news to the economic downturn of 2008 that ravaged the housing market, small business upstarts, and which left many families bankrupt across the country. According to the Wall Street Journal, “divorcing in tough economic times might involve the use of Taser, but according to [data released by] the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the divorce rate is at its lowest point since the early 1970s. And infidelity has continued to decline.” This news comes despite high profile infidelity and divorces, such as the one 2010 divorce between Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, and could have something to do with the recession that, in some cases, brought people closer together than ever before.
The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia reported that the divorce rate per 1,000 married women dropped to 16.4 in 2009 from 16.9 in 2008—a massive decline from 22.4 in 1980. Center for Disease Control data, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, points to factors such as couples waiting longer to get married and have kids, but also that “legal fees, a dreary real-estate market, and other economic malaise might be causing some couples to hold off from divorcing.” And that's not to mention couples that have decided to band together to stave off difficult times.
Another recent development to come out of the recession are companies, such as Groupon and Living Social, that have allowed cash-strapped couples to have date nights more often. And, according to the Washington Post, date nights such as those allowed by discount companies have given married couples new opportunities to make date night possible.
Regardless, if you or someone you know is considering divorce, don't go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Illinois divorce attorney today.