Why Do Divorce Rates Spike In March And August?

 Posted on August 24, 2016 in Divorce

If late spring and early summer are a never-ending parade of weddings, interestingly "wedding season" seems to be sandwiched between two different divorce seasons. Divorce filings hit their peaks in March and August every year.

According to the American Sociological Association (ASA), couples who are on the outs seem to want to tough it out during the holiday season, even though most couples fight about money during that time.

You undoubtedly know that the holidays can be a really tense time, on account of all the spending and travel: buying holiday gifts, paying for plane tickets, massive credit card bills in January, and holiday parties. If you have strained relationships with your in-laws, those obligatory trips on Thanksgiving and Christmas may only add fuel to the fire.

Waiting until March to file for divorce makes sense, said the researchers, because people are still usually rebounding from holiday spending in February, and it's emotionally difficult to shoulder the thought of divorce around Valentine's Day.

There are also practical and very emotional reasons to wait until August to start the divorce process. The researchers found that spouses, particularly parents, tend to wait until summer vacation is over and the kids start going back to school. The attempt to minimize disruption for the children is a significant factor.

Perhaps it goes without saying that the holidays and summertime are generally not times of the year that angry spouses want to associate with something as heavy as divorce.

Regardless of when a divorce is initiated, it's an emotionally exhausting endeavor that you have to be ready to undertake, and it helps to have a committed family law attorney on your side to help you through the process and ensure that your rights and future are protected.