US Divorce Agreement Sales Soar by 34% During COVID-19 Pandemic

An analysis by Legal Templates, a company that helps simplify the process of creating legal contracts, reveals that the firm saw a 34% increase in US sales of divorce agreements during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period in 2019.

According to the company’s findings, many marriages were destroyed in less than three weeks of quarantine. In addition, couples in Southern states were most likely to sign a divorce agreement. In fact, the rate of divorce in the South was two to three times higher than in other US regions. 

The company determined that they saw separation inquiries hit a peak on April 13, at about the same time that the majority of US states were beginning to impose strict lockdown measures to curb the further spread of the novel coronavirus. The report notes that officials saw a 57% increase in inquiries on April 13 when compared to figures from February 13.

In addition, the rate of divorcing couples with children has spiked compared to 2019, with the number of life insurance policies purchased to secure spousal support payments for divorce settlements increasing this year as well. 

“It’s clear from our data that the COVID-19 crisis has increased divorce rates across America – particularly in newlyweds and couples with young children,” Legal Templates concluded in its report.

“Unfortunately, the stressors presented during these unpredictable and unprecedented times were too much for many couples to handle. It’s possible that divorce rates will continue to rise as economic, financial, social, institutional, and psychological turmoil from the COVID-19 virus unfolds,” the firm added.

Sourse: sputniknews.com