Today's Divorce = Separate Bedrooms

For many people in today's economy, the closest they can afford to come to divorce is separate bedrooms. When one spouse is unemployed, they do not want to go out on their own, and the other spouse does not want to risk having to pay maintenance (alimony). People used to sell the house and split the equity, which would make it possible for each one to start a new life. Now, people owe more than their houses are worth, they can't sell their houses, and they can't qualify for a mortgage on their own. So they stay together as roommates with separate bedrooms, biding their time until the economy turns around so they can afford to get divorced. In other words, they are miserable.