Many New Jersey couples begin each new year with resolutions. In some cases, one is to end their marriages. A review of search engine analytics, as well as reports from legal professionals, indicates that many people begin to research the possibility of divorce in January, leading some to dub the first month of the year “Divorce Month.”
The significance of January
Statistics show that divorce filings go up in March and then in August. The significance of January is that this is the month when people take the first steps toward ending their marriages, such as:
- Doing research on the legal and financial aspects of divorce
- Consulting professionals about the process
- Beginning to take stock of their finances
Why do people choose January for pre-divorce musings? Experts believe that several factors are in play:
- Lack of desire to end a marriage during or right before the holidays
- Desire for a “fresh start” in the new year
- Holiday season tension caused by travel, event plans, and family issues
- Post-holiday financial stress
Unfortunately, it often happens that only one spouse is considering divorce, which could lead to an unpleasant surprise for the other spouse come January or the months following.
Preparing for the possibility of divorce
Being aware of January as the month when people seriously contemplate divorce can help spouses in two ways:
First, they should be aware that tensions caused by the holidays can lead to being hyper-aware of other areas of marital dissatisfaction. Taking time to be sensitive to each other’s needs could, in some cases, help a couple avoid divorce.
Second, if spouses have become aware of tensions within their marriage and are either contemplating divorce or suspecting that the other partner is planning to leave, they can take steps to prepare for the end of their marriage, such as reducing spending and researching New Jersey divorce law.
Marriages often end over everyday stressors such as finances and family problems. Both can intensify over the holidays, which may lead a spouse to consider ending the marriage. Sensitivity to this timeline might help partners avert a breakup or prepare for the inevitable.