by Debra Schoenberg
It’s the start of a new year, the time where people take on New Year’s resolutions which may mean eating healthier, hitting the gym, and for others, filing for divorce. According to a report by the New York Times, January has earned the nickname “Divorce Month” due to it being the most popular month for divorce to occur.
The divorce filing rate in January is around one third higher than any other month. Legal and relationship experts claim that one reason why this happens is that many couples view January as the time to take on new changes and start new beginnings. If a divorce was already in the works and there are children involved, many couples will decide to wait until after the holiday season is over in order to remain a family during that time.
There are many divorce cases where couples will endure their spouse only for the sake of the children, especially during the holidays. Psychology Today notes that it can be hard for couples to navigate divorce issues during a time that promotes happy families without children getting in the middle. Some parents wait until after the holidays to file in order to avoid having their children relate Christmas time to divorce. In other cases, couples may see the holidays as a time to work on their issues hoping that family time could help mend the issues, only to realize that isn’t the case.
January has been dubbed as divorce month, but according to a new study by the University of Washington, more divorces happen in March and August than any other month. According to Bustle, researchers found that couples consider the time period between November and February as a time when family comes together, and find it socially unacceptable to file for divorce during that time. Their study also found that some couples take a financial toll from the holidays, so they wait until their finances are back on track and file in March.
August becomes the next month to file because it is at the end of summer and before the holidays start. Again, many couples choose to stick it out through the summer holidays due to the children being out of school, but once they are back in school, parents see this as an opportunity to file for divorce.
Whether it’s at the start of the new year, during the springtime, or during the summer, filing for divorce is never an easy thing to do. Although it may be a scary process for some, divorce can be liberating for others. If you find yourself ready to take on the journey, it’s important to have the right people to assist you in this situation. A legal expert can guide you through all the questions you may have and how the divorce will affect you, your children and your finances.
