Although it does not quite bring to mind the positive vibes of Black History Month, National Ice Cream Month, or even Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, January has come to be known as “Divorce Month.” To be clear, this title did not come about as an official campaign to celebrate or promote divorce, but rather as a result of researchers noticing a huge uptick in divorce-related actions in the month of January. Below we discuss why that might be the case, and what you can do if January might be feeling like your own personal divorce month.
Searches for “Divorce” Surge in January
According to media reports, filings for divorce go up by one-third in January. Furthermore, according to a study conducted by findlaw.com, online searches for terms such as “divorce” and “child custody” also surge by as much as 60% in the first month of the year and continue to do so through March.
Why might that be the case? Although it is hard to track individual, internal motivations across internet users and divorce filers, reams of anecdotal evidence from matrimonial lawyers (and plenty of people who have just simply been married) do provide some pretty credible explanations. Reasons people might decide to begin researching divorce and
filing petitions at the start of the year include:
- A desire for a fresh start at the beginning of the year
- A delay in pursuing divorce prior to the holidays
- An unmet hope that the holidays would save the marriage
- Waiting for year-end financial situations to even out, such as the receipt of an end-year bonus or a determination of tax liability
When to Talk to a Divorce Attorney
A common misconception among spouses considering divorce is that speaking with a divorce attorney essentially means that you are irreversibly headed towards divorce and thus should only be done once you are absolutely sure a divorce is what you want. Nothing could be further from the truth. As you no doubt know if you are reading this, marriage is complicated, with its ups and downs. Things can go from great to intolerable quickly, and the reverse is true as well, and simply learning about your options and what you might face in a divorce proceeding does not change that.
- Whether to pursue a divorce is a decision only you can make, and a divorce attorney cannot and should not make that decision for you, but an experienced divorce attorney can provide you with answers to what a divorce will mean for you and your children with regard to issues such as:
- Division of marital property following a divorce
- How much spousal support/alimony you may or may not be entitled to receive or obligated to pay both during and after the divorce, and for how longCustody arrangements and visitation determinations
- The cost, duration, expenses, and other issues that may arise in a divorce
- How to protect you and your children from domestic violence
- What steps you can take now to protect your finances and prevent your spouse from cheating you and/or mistreating you in a divorce
Simply having this information can be invaluable, regardless of whether you decide to pursue a divorce, and an experienced divorce attorney can individually assess your situation and give you the information you need to make the best choices for you and your family.
For any questions on divorce law in California, contact the Law Office of Kelley C. Finan today to schedule a consultation to discuss your circumstances.