Why the new year brings new divorces

January is a busy month for divorce lawyers, which surprises people who assume that the first month of the new year is an extension of the holiday season. Many divorce attorneys call January “the start of divorce season” because that is when they begin getting phone calls and having to do in-takes for new clients.

Why is the new year a popular time for people to divorce?

• January is the start of the new year. People who intended to file for divorce late in the previous year will often wait until January to maintain peace during the holiday season, which makes sense. Once things go back to normal, people go back to their everyday routines.
• During the holidays, many people start thinking about the new year and their New Year Resolutions. People who have been unhappy in their marriage may finally decide that it’s time to begin the process of dissolution of marriage.
• Attorneys and their staff are extremely busy throughout the year, and for many, December is when things slow down, and they can step away from the office to spend time with their families. They may go on vacation and make themselves unavailable.
• The holiday season may exacerbate marital problems and be the breaking point for spouses trying to keep their marriage together. The stress of the holidays may be the final straw for them.
• If the client is informed of the legal, tax and financial implications of divorce (very rare), they could: decide to wait until the beginning of the new year to take advantage of a bonus the other spouse may receive from their work in the previous year, or wait until January because filing for divorce at the beginning of the year as opposed to at the end of the previous year could help with tax issues.

Divorce is a challenging time for every family member, no matter when a couple decides to dissolve their marriage.

However, it is worth noting that timing can make a difference. In addition, understanding the nuances of the law is critical in all divorces.