Did the Las Vegas divorce rate spike last month?

If you were asked which month you thought had the highest rate of divorce, what would you say? January, as resolution month, seems logical, as does September, another month that commonly carries a feeling of new beginnings. But according to a new survey, March actually has a higher divorce rate than any other month of the year, which many of our Las Vegas blog readers will likely find surprising.

The reason for the high number of divorce filings in March has much to do with timing. If you guessed that January sees more splits than any other month, you were partially right. Family law attorneys commonly refer to January as ‘decision month,’ when people decide to end their marriages. February is known as ‘planning month,’ when people find divorce lawyers and make similar plans, and March is when the actual divorce filing is made.

So it may be a technicality that the highest rate of divorce takes place in March, but it is notable because it is a significant jump from the earlier months of the year. According to the survey, which examined divorce filings in 22 states, there were 41 percent more divorce filings in March 2011 than in January of that year.

If you are thinking about filing for divorce, however, there is no need to wait for any specific month to do so. Although it takes that new year inspiration for many people to make that jump, do not wait until then if you are in an unhappy, unhealthy marriage. Divorce is difficult, but things are usually much better on the other side.

Source: CBS, “Why Divorce Spikes In March,” Chris Stanford, Mar. 22, 2012