Recession & Marriage: Silver lining seems thin

A survey out this week from the always interesting National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia shows that although 29% of couples agree that the recession brought financial stress to their marriage, the silver lining is that 29% agreed that the recession deepened their commitment and 38% even put aside divorce plans.

It's sweet news to hear, especially one week before Valentine's Day. But I can't help but think there's more at play here than two hearts uniting in the face of hardship.

Many couples opt to stay together in or after a recession not for love, but for logistics. Financially, they can't afford to split up. The average divorce costs $20,000. Plus, the housing market is terrible for selling a current home, and if you move out, you may have trouble getting a mortgage if you have bad credit. Sadly, this means many unhappy couples are still living under one roof, for better or worse.

What do you think? Will the recession lead to lasting marriages, or is this only temporary?