Statistically, more divorces are filed during certain times of year than others. One of these high-volume divorce seasons is spring. Traditionally, the holidays and the months directly after are a peak time for divorce filings in the United States. If you feel that your relationship has come to an end, consider if this spring is the right time for your divorce case.
The holidays can be stressful for couples who are already on the brink of a breakup, with financial strain associated with buying gifts, holiday travel, the kids being home from school, visits with family and other triggers. The stress of the winter holidays leads to many couples filing for divorce the following spring. This waiting period is especially common among couples with children.
Many parents don’t want to ruin the winter holidays for their kids by getting divorced before or during Christmastime. Instead, if they decide to split up over the holiday season, they often wait until the following year to announce it and file. They put off filing for divorce and going through the legal process until after the holidays are behind them and the kids are back in school. This can make things easier for the whole family.
Springtime divorces are also commonly associated with life reassessments and setting goals for the new year. Part of an individual’s New Year’s resolution may be to end a relationship that has run its course. The holidays may have been the last straw, making one or both people realize that they would be better off divorced or legally separated. A married couple may see January as the perfect opportunity to file for divorce and get a fresh start for the coming year.
Divorce can be expensive. This is especially true if the couple does not get along or communicate well; a contested divorce may require a costly court trial. Many couples wish to wait until they can afford a divorce, which may be after their accounts have recuperated from holiday spending. It may take until springtime for a couple to save up enough money to pay the filing fee and afford their divorce attorneys.
“Spring cleaning” can apply to more than just a cluttered home. For some couples, the start of spring can signal an opportunity for a personal or emotional overhaul. Warmer weather and spring blooms can encourage an unhappy couple to finally pull the trigger on ending a marriage that has become toxic or draining. It can be a good time to purge emotional clutter, handle the divorce process and come away feeling refreshed.
On a more practical level, spring is tax season. The timing of the IRS’s tax deadlines in March and April may play a role in when a couple chooses to file for divorce for financial reasons. If a couple typically receives a sizable tax return, for instance, they may wait for this to hit their accounts so that they can use the money to fund the divorce process. In other situations, a couple may wish to avoid major tax penalties associated with divorce by separating after filing their taxes for the previous year.
Couples tend to file for divorce in the springtime for a number of reasons. If your marriage has come to an end, consider if this spring could be the right time to file for divorce. You may wish to embrace new beginnings and the idea of a fresh start in April and May, when spring cleaning, warm sunshine and fresh starts naturally abound. Getting divorced this spring could boost your emotional, mental and physical well-being.
If you wish to discuss the timeline for your divorce case in Fort Collins, Colorado, contact The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC to request a consultation with an attorney.