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Chapter 03: Financial Stress

The stress of financial burden is so profound that it’s the leading cause of

divorce. Findings from a recent Experian survey suggest that financial

stress is a contributing factor in 59% of divorces nationwide. Ironically,

there’'s a reciprocal effect on divorce whereby it brings on even more

insidious financial challenges for newly separated couples.

Unfortunately, the negative impact of financial stress doesn’t stop there.

Research from PWC 2018 illustrates that due to financial woes, productivity

and work performance drastically decrease, while absenteeism increases.

And it gets worse. Multiple surveys have suggested that financial stress

exacerbates domestic violence. The research from Benson and Fox

comparing couples with high and low levels of financial strain shows that

there’s a 3x higher rate of domestic violence among those with high financial

stress. What’s more, research from the CDC states that 20% of suicides

(from both those with and without known mental health issues) record the

primary factor as a financial reason.