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Colorado foreclosure crisis may lead to more divorces

On Behalf of | Aug 31, 2012 | Uncategorized |

A sociologist has come up with some interesting research on the current economic recession and its effect on the rate of dissolution of marriages. While the divorce rate in this country has declined overall during the last thirty years, in states like Colorado that were hard hit by the foreclosure crisis, the current recession has seen a slight increase in divorces among people with some college education.

When the economic downturn first hit, some people speculated that hard times would bring couples together and keep marriages stable. This has not happened. In fact, the upturn in divorces among college educated people, in states with high foreclosure rates, suggests that those hit hardest by the housing crisis are divorcing in greater numbers. Economic troubles and declining values of marital property have become troubling issues in these divorces.

The researcher who conducted the study theorizes that divorce results from stress, and the stress of possible foreclosure has made married life miserable for many homeowners. His research shows that people living in poverty are not getting divorced at a higher rate than before, and that unemployment does not appear to have had an effect on the divorce rate. But the state of the real estate market does appear to have been influencing divorce rates in the current crisis. To many people a home is the focus of their marriage, and when the home is threatened by foreclosure it may seem like the marriage itself has gone sour.

In many divorces, property division can be a complex and emotionally draining experience. When a couple is already stressed by declining home values and high mortgage payments, the stress of divorce can seem overwhelming. It is important to approach a divorce with caution and guidance in order to avoid adding additional stress to an already stressful situation.

Source: New York Magazine, “Do the Rich Get More Recession Divorces,” Lisa Miller, Aug. 16, 2012