Divorce Rates Skyrocket Amid COVID-19 Quarantine
According to Page Six, leading family law experts are reporting that there’s been a skyrocket of divorce rates since Americans have been quarantined due to COVID-19.
In fact, there has reportedly been a 50 percent rise in inquiries from potential clients.
As a result, Page Six reports that “dramatic sways in the financial markets will further spur a wave of wealthy divorces, because richer spouses may decide they want out while their net worth dips — potentially helping them avoid larger settlements.”
“We’ve had an increased amount of calls in the past week from people seeking representation for divorce proceedings, a 50 percent increase, and I have been hearing the same from my colleagues at other firms,” divorce attorney William D. Zabel, a founding partner of Schulte Roth & Zabel, told the outlet.
“People who have enjoyed busy lives suddenly find themselves confined together, at a time of incredible anxiety,” he added, “If wealthy people are looking for a rationale for divorce, an economic downturn is often a motivation — the net worth of the moneyed spouse is lower, and therefore a settlement could be lower. I anticipate there will be a number of high-profile divorce cases in the coming months.”
Melissa Thoen, a couples’ therapist and the clinical director of the Ackerman Institute for the Family in NYC, also told NY Post:
“Many fights coming out of this will stem from not having space, and being overwhelmed,” adding that in Xi’an, China, divorce filings cannot be processed fast enough.
Ouch! Well, that’s a quarantine for ya.