Couples get divorced all year around. It can happen at any time, with or without warning, and every situation is unique.
That said, it’s clear from the statistical trends that January is the month when you’re most likely to get divorced. This is when the divorce rate rises at a tremendous speed, especially early in the month. It’s even been called Divorce Month.
The reasons for the rising rate
First off, the rise is made a bit more pronounced by the dramatic fall of the divorce rate into December. It is the month when the rates are lowest and you’re least likely to get divorced.
What this suggests is that, were this any other two months — say June and July — there would not be nearly as much of a rapid drop and then quick rise. The divorces would be more evenly spaced between the two months. Those who would get divorced in December are instead waiting until January.
They do this, for the most part, because of the holidays. It just does not feel like the right time to break the divorce news to the children or the extended family. Couples may talk about it in November, decide they do want to split up, and still wait until January to really get those wheels in motion.
Even for couples without children, the holidays are just a bit more chaotic. They have a lot more family time with their own parents and in-laws. These people are going to find out about the divorce eventually, but people often feel like that’s news that will land a bit more easily on January 10 than it would on December 20.
Getting divorced next year
Do you plan to get divorced next year, when the holidays are over and life settles back into its normal patterns? Whether you have talked with your spouse about this or not — mauve you’re also waiting until after the holidays to tell them — you need to take this time to prepare and look into your legal options.
