Why January is a Common Month to File for Divorce

January is a great time to step back and evaluate our lives, determining whether or not we’re living the life we want to live as a new year rolls around. For some unhappy couples, this may mean it’s time to consider whether or not staying in a marriage is the best choice for themselves or their children. Read on to learn about the reasons bringing couples to file for divorce in the new year, and consult with a compassionate and seasoned San Gabriel Valley divorce lawyer on the implications of filing for divorce for you and your family.

According to statistics gathered from court filings, January is one of the most common months of the year to file for divorce. While the reasons for this aren’t understood precisely, experts speculate that the following factors are often to blame:

• Couples just “get through” the holidays:

  • Many couples with young children know that they want to get divorced prior to the end of the year, but they will stay together in order to avoid ruining the holiday for the kids. If you’re in one of these relationships, keep in mind that, while telling your children that you’re planning to divorce is a challenge for any couple, many adult children of divorce have painful memories of the arguments and tension that colored the last holiday season their parents spent as a married couple. By staying together, you may be making the holidays harder on your children than they would be otherwise.

• Spouses use end-of-year earnings to afford a divorce:

  • The end of the year is a time when many people receive discretionary or merit-based bonuses. Often, individuals filing for divorce in January were waiting to receive that bonus to use as a retainer for a divorce attorney, or as a security deposit on a new apartment.

• Couples decide that they deserve better than to stay in an unhappy relationship:

  • When reflecting on what sorts of changes could result in a healthier and more fulfilling life, many unhappy spouses realize that their relationship is a substantial cause of their dissatisfaction. Individuals of every age deserve a satisfying, loving relationship, and some may come to realize this only when making other life-improving changes.

If you have decided that a divorce in the new year would be the right step for you, contact the compassionate and dedicated Claremont family law attorneys at Blasser Law for a consultation, at 877-927-2181.