BOSTON -- Divorce is expensive, and for many the bad economy is adding to the stress of that life-altering decision.

When couples say I do, the heartbreak of divorce is far from their minds.

Economy Raises Concerns For Would-Be Divorcees

"My husband and I have been married for eight years, and during that eight-year period we have had just constant disagreements about probably anything that you can name," one woman said.

After three years of couples counseling, she is finally filing for divorce. But the sour economy has her fearful. She's worried her home won't sell. Her husband is out of work, and she juggles three jobs to support them.

"I have the fact that his debt could be mine. And I have a person that I'm connected with intimately that does not have the ability to support himself," she said.

Divorce attorney Christine Bowers said consulting with a professional can give couples crucial information about where they stand and where they could end up.

"Somebody who can say to you, 'well, looking at the information that I have, this is what you can expect to happen in the event that you get a divorce.' It can give them the information they need to decide, 'can I afford to do this?' And, 'Am I willing to do this at this time?'" Bowers said.

That means divorce may lead to foreclosure or even bankruptcy.

"A lot of people are over their heads right now and so underwater that the best thing they can do is just, kind of, cut their losses and move on," Bowers said.

Bowers said that the key is information so a potentially costly decision will at least be an educated one.