Drew Soshnick Seeing Divorce Rate Fall With Down Economy

One benefit to the down economy is a falling divorce rate, WTHR.com reported in its story, "Divorce Filings Drop in Marion County." Divorce filings are down about 20 percent from last year in Indianapolis' Marion County. Nationally, divorce filings are down as much as 50 percent. The faltering economy is the likely driver behind the trend, according to the story.

"Because there is debt to divide, even if people are not enamored with one another at that time, it's (divorce) a path to bankruptcy," Drew Soshnick of Baker & Daniels told WTHR.com. "Statistically around the country you will find most divorce lawyers will say (divorce) is 30 to 40 percent down."

"If you are looking at your retirement account balances of real estate values, those in September or October of last year would have said, 'I can afford to be divorced,' and then the 401(k) devalued by 40-50 percent," Soshnick said in the story.

The first stop in getting divorced is the City-County Building, where the clerk's office in Marion County is seeing fewer people come in and file for divorce, WTHR.com reported.

"You have the same phenomenon here, which is one party may say, 'I can afford to be divorced'; the other party says, 'I can't afford to be divorced,'" Soshnick said. "But generally speaking, the financial side is driving a considerable amount of the decision to stay married."