January is one of the most popular months to get a divorce, and January is the beginning of what divorce lawyers call “divorce season.” That is why January has also become National Divorce Month. You may have heard the term New Year, new you? Definitely relatable when you have decided to start a new life by filing for divorce in the new year.
According to MarketWatch, divorce cases increase by about 30% in the new year.
Having a Positive Outlook After Your Divorce…it’s a New Year, a New You
Reasons to file for divorce in January
There are a number of reasons why so many couples wait until the new year to file for a divorce. Whether it’s for the children, to spend one last Christmas together as a family, or for financial reasons. Here are the most popular reasons why couples wait until the new year to file for a divorce.
The holiday season
There is a multitude of reasons why couples decide to put their divorce on hold until after the holidays. The biggest reason is the children. Divorce is hard on the entire family so couples may decide to put their divorce plans on hold until the new year. The holidays are an exciting time for children and families and divorce can bring a lot of stress. So why bring that into a happy and magical time of the year if you don’t have to. Second, divorce can also be hard on the extended family and can cause additional drama and stress and something you might not want to deal with as a couple. Third, there are legal and custody issues that come into play when couples decide to divorce. So, a couple might want a year to figure out the logistics of arrangements and how to get along to properly co-parent.
The holidays are a cause for divorce
The holidays can also be a cause for stress for families. If a couple has been experiencing issues in their marriage for a while, the stress of the holiday season can sometimes be the last straw. Family gatherings, buying gifts, traveling, can increase tension in an already failing marriage. If this is the case, the way couples might start off fresh in the new year is to file for a divorce in January.
Tax filings
Martial tax status definitely influences taxes. Waiting until the start of a new year can help with the financial stress of not starting out completely as a separated couple. Even if you wait to file just one day into January a divorcing couple can still file for taxes as a married couple for that calendar year. This has the benefit of helping with a tax burden for the year as the divorcing couple figures out their individual finances going forward.
Planning to file for a divorce
If couples have been having marital problems for a long time, they may come to an amicable agreement to get a divorce. Because of all the reasons mentioned above, the beginning of the year is a good reason to file for divorce. A couple that is divorcing may need time to figure out a housing arrangement and figure out a division of assets and property. They also might want to just give themselves a break during the holidays. It’s a good time to put everything on pause for those few weeks.
If you are looking to file for divorce our Texas family law firm will help guide you through the process and put together a timeline that works for both yourself and your spouse.
