New year brings new divorces

At any given time, there are individuals in Las Vegas and elsewhere thinking about ending their marriage. The reasons for the split can vary widely, but it seems that the timing of the divorce often has some common factors.

If you’ve been waiting until the holidays are over to divorce, you aren’t the only one. There’s a reason why family law attorneys are swamped come January — the month is known as ‘divorce month’ in some legal circles.

It seems people who are considering a split wait until after the holidays in order to have at least one last harmonious holiday today. This is especially true if children are involved. Besides that, holiday months keep couples very busy with visiting relatives, buying presents and planning parties.

Another likely reason for choosing the new year to mark the end of a relationship is for tax purposes. If a couple divorce in January, they can still file their returns jointly for the previous year.

Finally, for those that get a hefty year-end bonus at work, that can often be yet another reason to wait around for the turn of the year. Individuals wait for that lump sum in order to use it to hire a family law attorney.

No matter when an individual decides to file his or her papers, the decision is rarely hasty. The process often takes a lot of preparation and planning, as well as soul-searching. Getting sound legal advice and knowing a family’s finances will go a long way toward a positive outcome for all involved.

Source: KSAZ, “January known as ‘divorce month’,” Diane Ryan, Jan. 7, 2013