The beginning of a new year is often a time of resolutions. For many people in strained marriages, it is also the time of year they choose to finally go ahead and file for divorce. According to Market Watch, divorce filings surge on the first Monday of the year and continue for the rest of January.
If the tension in the marriage already existed, the pressure of the holidays can often make it worse. However, people may feel that it would look bad to file for divorce during the period from Thanksgiving through New Year's, especially if there are children involved. The first Monday of the year is usually when kids go back to school and some people may feel that day signifies a chance to make a new start.
CNN reports that the decision to wait until the new year may also be financially motivated for some people. Being married for the entire year means benefitting from any end of year bonuses a spouse receives, as well as being able to claim the tax benefits a married couple enjoys by filing jointly for the year.
Even though not everyone considering divorce will actually file in January, it is evidently still a topic on many people's minds this time of year. CNN also reports that searches for terms like "divorce" and "family law" jump 50 percent from December to January and continue to be elevated through March. Ironically, surges in registrations on dating websites can also be seen during this time period, however that it is not necessarily directly related to those seeking a divorce.
Tags: Divorce
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