The holiday season is often stressful for most people in California and elsewhere. Not only do you have to deal with the shopping crowds and a house full of kids home on winter break, but your marriage might also be strained. This is a normal occurrence for many spouses, but you might also feel like you can’t handle being married another year. You may even be considering filing for divorce as soon as the festivities are over.
As Business Insider explains, divorce season begins right after people ring in the new year. People begin filing for divorce in January, and finalized divorces peak throughout February and March. Why is this, you might wonder? Any of the following examples might apply:
- The stress of the holidays might break an already unhappy marriage.
- Spouses want to keep it together one final Christmas for the sake of the children and other family members.
- Finalizing a divorce at the beginning of the year makes sense for tax purposes.
- The start of the new year can signal new beginnings.
You might decide to wait a few more weeks until you’ve settled into 2019 before filing for divorce. However, if you are certain that your marriage is over, now is the time to start putting your plans in order. For example, you might educate yourself on how mediation and collaborative law work, as opposed to getting a traditional litigated divorce. You may make a list of visitation plans to suggest to your spouse or attorney. It is an especially good time to get your financial affairs in order, such as determining which assets are yours from before the marriage, and which are marital property. You might also consider brushing up your education or employment skills so you can support yourself on one income.