Is Your Spouses New Year’s Resolution To File For Divorce?

Anna Shapiro
January 8, 2014

Divorce on New Year’s

The traditional New Year’s Auld Lang Syne song may just sum it up. “Should Old Acquaintance be forgot, and never thought upon; The flames of Love extinguished, and fully past and gone.”

Are you ringing in the New Year’s without your spouse this year? Many people think of the New Year as a time to take stock of their lives and strive for improvement. For most, this means joining a gym, eating healthier, trying a new career path, or vowing to volunteer more. For others, it means breaking free from a marriage that is no longer working out or in the best interests of one or both parties. Because this is a time of transformation and self-reflection, January is also the month where divorce rates spike into comparison to other months.

Coping With Divorce Around The Holiday’s

The holiday season that precedes this spike in divorce is stressful on already strained marriages for a number of reasons. The pressure of putting on the front of a happy and thankful family can be exhausting. It can also be depressing to see that others have a sense of happiness or a healthier relationship when compared to what a struggling couple may have. The added stress of spending time with extended family that doesn’t support a partnership to begin with can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, so to speak. The financial strain of the holidays can also lead a couple to fight or drift apart more than they may already be. While disappointment over one gift doesn’t usually prompt divorce, a consistent pattern of being or feeling overlooked can reinforce feelings of neglect or rejection. This can all prompt someone to take action to seek a divorce. The holiday season also means an increase in alcohol use for some. This could also propel a split for couples just after the season is over.

One major reason cited why couples file for divorce more in January than in other months is children. Even if someone feels certain a divorce is necessary, they may hesitate to go through with it before the holidays, so as to give the kids one last holiday as a family. Someone who wants a divorce may push it back until after they have given it one final try over the holiday together rather than split before Thanksgiving or Christmas. This notion of sticking it out during the holidays can also be for the benefit of extended family who may be upset or disturbed to hear there is a pending divorce during the holiday.

A Time for New Beginning’s

As the holidays unfold and lead into a new year, people tend to reevaluate their decisions and life path up until this point. That can mean they really stop and think whether or not they want to live this way and stay in the same relationship for yet another year. The spike can boil down to people wanting to start a new year off feeling like they are doing what is best for them and knowing that they gave it one last shot during what should be the happiest time of year. Regardless of the reasons, when you know a divorce is the best option during this New Year’s, you will want to seek legal representation who will fight for your rights and help you get the fresh start you have been waiting for.

By Anna Shapiro, Esq., PC