NEW YORK - Financial woes often drive couples apart but the current recession seems to be having the opposite effect, with less couples able to afford the cost of a divorce.

The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) said more than half of the respondents to its latest survey among its 1,600 members had cited a drop in divorce filings during the current recession which has cut jobs, salaries and house prices.

In total, 57 percent of the attorneys noted fewer divorce filings since the last quarter of 2008. Only 14 percent noted an increase in filings during these difficult times.

"The current economic climate is proving to be far more unforgiving than estranged couples seeking a divorce," said Gary Nickelson, president of the AAML, in a statement.

"Forced to weigh damaged marriages against tight budgets and uncertain financial outlooks, many spouses seem more willing to try and wait out the recessionary storm."