You’ve been on the fence for a while about your marriage — but you finally have some clarity. You want a divorce.
Now, you have to decide if you’re going to wait until January to start the process.
Why do so many people file for divorce in January?
The first Monday following New Year’s Day is colloquially referred to as “Divorce Day” by a lot of family law attorneys. That’s because there’s a steady stream of people coming into their offices ready to file.
Largely speaking, all of those folks put their divorces off until the holiday season was over for the year — and they’re making their leap before it gets anywhere close to Valentine’s Day.
Why do people wait until the holidays are over to file? Well, divorce is an emotionally painful process at the best of times, and the holidays just make everything more intense. Parents, in particular, want to avoid disrupting their children’s lives during the holidays because they’re concerned the kids will always associate the winter holiday season with the end of their parent’s marriage.
Is waiting to divorce in January right for you?
Ultimately, only you can decide what you’re able to handle, but there are some very good reasons to act now:
- You could be making your situation worse. Your relationship with your spouse is likely to continue to disintegrate over the next few months, and that can lead to drama and fights. Those elements won’t create the happy “holiday memories” you want your children to have.
- You’re missing an opportunity to regain control of your life. The holiday season gives you a lot of chances to reconnect with family members and old friends. If you start your divorce now, you may deprive yourself of the emotional support and human contact you need during the process.
- You could end up taking drastic action. If you know you want out now, how badly do you think you’ll want out in a few months? Your desperate desire to be done with the whole marriage could lead you to take a less-than-favorable settlement in the divorce.
Divorce isn’t the worst thing that can happen during the holidays. If you’re still unsure, consider learning more about your legal options.