We know that people tend to vacation during the summer months and hold yard sales in the spring. Does divorce also have its own season?
While couples divorce throughout the year, of course, these are the months with a reputation for higher-than-average divorce rates.
January
Many family law courts report an uptick in divorces after the winter holidays end. Families who have children may try to stay together through the school vacation and enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas together. Even couples with no children may file in January as they get the New Year’s motivation to make a major life change.
March
Researchers from the University of Washington reviewed historical divorce data and found a peak in March. While the study authors were not sure exactly why March has higher divorce rates, some suggest that the people who decide to file for divorce in January get around to doing so in March. For other couples, spring may bring new beginnings in the form of the end of a marriage.
August
The dog days of summer also had a higher divorce rate than other months in the UW study. The researchers speculate that many couples take a last-ditch summer vacation together to try to make the marriage work. When this tactic is unsuccessful, they decide to move forward with a divorce filing. Those who stayed together to raise children may decide to divorce after high school or college graduation in June.
No matter what time of year a person decides to file for divorce, he or she should prepare by gathering financial information and making a plan to establish a single household.