Why are so many divorces filed in January?

Fact: There are more divorce petitions filed in January than any other month.  Is that because one of some people’s new year’s resolutions is to get divorced?

That is not the typical resolution that you think of, like losing weight and going to the gym or giving up smoking. I suspect that one reason is that the normal filings that would have occurred in during November and December are delayed to January in some cases because those filing do not want to file over the holidays and have the children forever associate the holidays with their parent’s divorce.

Why might someone in actuality resolve to get divorced this year?

That sounds strange, yet it could be accurate because in our experience people are slow to divorce. They know that they are in an unhealthy situation, yet they stay. Perhaps they stay too long because their religion discourages divorce. Perhaps they stay too long because they want to ensure that they have tried everything to save their marriage to be confident that they will have no regrets. Perhaps they stay too long because they think that even if they are unhappy that it is best for the children to stay together. Perhaps they stay too long because they cannot afford to live separately. Perhaps they stay too long because they fear the unknown future. Perhaps they stay too long because their spouse has threatened them if they dare to leave.

One way to sort through your thinking about your unhappiness and to get clarity is to go to counseling. A counselor can help you to understand your situation better and sort through your thoughts and emotions and to get a plan in place to either improve and save your marriage or respectfully end it.

A counselor can help you to understand your situation better and sort through your thoughts and emotions and to get a plan in place to either improve and save your marriage or respectfully end it

Living in between those places is miserable.  We suggest a resolution to be actively moving towards a positive productive life- whether that means that you stay or go. You can’t save a marriage by yourself. Both parties have to work hard in order for it to be saved and healthy.