Recession Puts Brakes on Divorces

A lot of unhappy couples are staying together—or at least staying under one roof—thanks to the recession, the Wall Street Journal reports. Many would-be exes are putting off breakups, unwilling to sell their houses in a down market or unable to afford new ones. Some even continue to live under the same roof after their divorces.

Comprehensive divorce data are hard to come by, but court records suggest filings have fallen since 2007; in New York, they’re down 14%. “People are saying, ‘I’ve put up with it for the last 10 years, I can put up with it for another year,” said one lawyer. One divorcée says living with her ex has been downright pleasant: “We’re a lot kinder to each other.” (More divorce stories.)