Reasons to Put Off Divorce Until New Year Rolls Around
Divorce agreement sales from March to June 2020 rose 34% from the same three-month period in 2019. The American Family Survey, a national survey held in part by Brigham Young University, found that 34% of married people said the COVID-19 pandemic increased stress in their marriages. Despite these alarming statistics, early state reports indicate that year-to-year divorce rates are down — are couples waiting for 2021 to file for divorce?
Keeping Children in Mind
Children look forward to Christmas as the most magical time of year. One poll found that 48% of respondents under the age of 18 consider Christmas their favorite holiday. Although it might feel like kids don’t value Christmas for the right reasons, children should never be robbed of a great Christmastime experience.
It’s true that children in split families can look forward to two sets of presents. After a divorce, parents typically need months to get settled into their new lives. Initiating divorce proceedings before the new year can ruin the magic of Christmas for children. This is arguably the No. 1 reason why waiting for the new year is the best time to get a divorce.
Holidays Are Filled With Emotions
As you already know, kids love Christmas. Many adults look forward to the holidays, too. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve offer back-to-back-to-back opportunities to take time off from work, visit family members, and enjoy countless home-cooked dishes.
Starting in early to mid-November, society collectively gears up for the holidays. City governments put up Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations around town. Advertisers run ads that mention the holidays. Social media fills up with mentions and pictures of fun, family-friendly holiday activities.
Even if you personally don’t celebrate these holidays, there’s arguably no way to avoid festivities. The holidays are typically associated with happiness, joy, and cheer, and breakups and divorces during Christmastime can evoke particularly negative emotions.
By agreeing to postpone divorce until the new year, you set yourself up for a much less stressful holiday season.
End-of-Year Divorces Can Lead to Unexpected Expenditures
The holidays are inextricably tied to consumer spending. Since you like making family members, friends, and co-workers feel special, you want to buy them nice gifts. Although you might not spend too much on each gift, the costs eventually add up.
According to the National Retail Federation’s annual holiday spending survey, the average American shopper plans to spend $998 on gifts and other holiday-related items.
Well over half of all married couples use the same bank account. It’s easy to unexpectedly spend more money than you initially planned during the holidays. During a divorce, however, soon-to-be ex-spouses may go on spending sprees just to spite their partners.
If you’re contemplating when to get a divorce, saving money is likely one of your greatest concerns. Avoiding a divorce around Christmas is a surefire way to save money.
Splitting Year-End Bonuses
Many workers receive year-end bonuses as a means of incentivizing high performance. Typically, employers need end-of-year sales data to determine whether employees receive bonuses or not.
If you receive your bonus before getting divorced, your spouse will likely be entitled to half of it. In most cases, after you formally file for divorce, you don’t have to share your earnings with your partner. If you’re expecting a big bonus, that’s yet another reason to delay your divorce until January.
Let a Divorce Lawyer Help You Through Your Divorce
Divorce is usually a difficult process. Fortunately, waiting for the new year can make divorce a little bit easier. Keep these benefits of delaying divorce in mind while assessing your own situation.
If you’re currently considering divorce or have recently been asked for one, we’d love to speak with you. Here at the Law Office of Joanne Kleiner, we focus on family law and divorce proceedings. Although divorce is notorious for being a long, difficult process, it doesn’t have to be. Our goal is to make the divorce process as seamless as possible.
The Law Office of Joanne Kleiner is located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. To schedule a confidential consultation with divorce lawyer Joanne Kleiner, give us a call at (215) 886-1266 today. You can also fill out our secure online intake form to get started.
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