When it comes to divorce filings, January is king.In fact, the first Monday after the children return to school from the winter break is actually when we see more divorce filings than any other day of the year.
Our Lake County divorce lawyers know there is no one-size-fits-all explanation. As with any other matter of the heart, it often comes down to a complex set of factors all converging at once.
But that doesn’t mean you should fail to be strategic. Our divorce lawyers know that proper planning is key to ensuring you start the new year – and the first part of the rest of your life – off on solid ground.
One reason January may see so many filings is that unfortunately, the holidays tend to bring out some of the worst in people. Or at the very least, it can be a time of intense stress, and it can cause tensions from other, long-festering disagreements to bubble to the surface. Plus, couples with children really try to their best to hold it all together during the holidays, even when there are serious underlying issues. They either do their best to really give it their all one last time, or they commit to giving the kids one last holiday season of togetherness.
After the first of the year, people find they can no longer take it, or they have already made up their minds to act. It becomes a personal deadline: If it’s still not working by New Year’s, I’m done.
The founder of DivorcedWomenOnline.com says they see the most page views the day after Christmas. People begin looking for information before the new year even starts, but they often wait until the attorneys are back in the office. They may even give themselves a few days or weeks to mull it over before finally deciding to pull the trigger.
Then you consider that the whole sentiment that a new year brings: Fresh start, clean slate, new beginnings. It pushes people to really assess what they want in life, whether they’re truly happy or whether it’s simply not working.
But one reason we may end up seeing a larger-than-normal number of January filings is that we as a country experienced a slight economic uptick in the last several months. It’s well-documented that economic downturns actually cause people to stay in unhappy marriages for longer. Divorces, even when they are good for everyone involved in the long run, do cost money. It’s not just about filing fees and lawyer costs. You have to consider the cost of essentially halving your monthly income and/or doubling your monthly expenses. But truthfully, divorce shouldn’t be a luxury. If you aren’t happy or if you have been seriously wronged or especially if you are in an abusive relationship, getting out now will find you better off down the road.
And all of this is going to be true whether you file in January or June or September. No matter what month you file, you are going to have to make the same considerations.
What we absolutely would not advise is to rush a divorce filing without first consulting with an experienced divorce lawyer. It’s often better to wait and file in March with all your ducks in a row than to hurry and file in January without being organized. Still, every situation is different. Call us today to see what is truly the best course of action for your situation.
Indiana Family Law Attorney Burton A. Padove handles divorce and child custody matters throughout northern Indiana, including Gary, Hammond and Calumet City.
Additional Resources:
January is busiest time of year for divorce attorneys, Jan. 4, 2012, WTVM
More Blog Entries:
Steps to Take If Divorce is part of Your 2013 Plans, Jan. 4, 2013, Indiana Divorce Lawyer Blog