If you are like many people considering divorce, you may do not want to make any big decisions before the holidays. People with children especially, tend to want to experience at least one more holiday season as a family unit before calling it quits. By the time Christmas break comes to an end, however, many have made up their minds.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the Monday after the Christmas break represents “divorce day,” when family law offices normally experience a notable influx of divorce inquiries. In some cases, law firms experience two- to three-fold their normal email volume, an increase that lasts through the whole month of January.
Should you stay or should you go?
Some people use the holiday season to decide if they want to keep trying in a struggling marriage, or throw in the towel. Others, as mentioned above, stay together through November and December for the sake of the children. Those who make it through December sometimes decide that they want a new start for the new year, and one that doesn’t involve a troubled marriage. For some, financial considerations involving taxes or pre- or post-nuptial agreements provide incentive for the timing of a decision.
If your marriage is in trouble, deciding what to do next is ultimately a personal decision. Whether you decide to seek counseling, stay together for the holidays, or call it quits in January, it can help to get some input from a qualified family law attorney who can give you a realistic assessment about what would change for you after divorce, and what options might best help you move forward.
