Married couples in Illinois may be more likely to file for divorce in January than in other months. Experts say there are several reasons there is a spike at this time of year.
The holiday can be a stressful time that highlights problems in a relationship. After days or weeks of an unusual amount of family togetherness and traveling, some people might realize that they want out of the marriage. Others may have made up their minds already but want to give their children one last good holiday together. Parents who celebrate Christmas rarely want to break divorce news to their children days beforehand. Other people may simply see the new year as a fresh start and might realize they want to start by getting out of their relationship.
Whatever the reason for the divorce or the timing, experts say couples should make an effort to be considerate to one another. Divorce is a stressful time, and how spouses behave can make it even more stressful. Trying to be kind can be even more important if children are involved since this means parents will generally still have some sort of relationship after the divorce.
People who are considering getting a divorce might want to think about what steps to take before moving ahead. For example, they may want to gather as much documentations as they can about their financial situation. They may want to speak to an attorney to get a better sense of state law and how the divorce might proceed. They might also want to consider what property they would want to keep in the divorce and what the child custody agreement might look like. A divorce does not mean inevitably ending up litigation, and many couples are able to reach an agreement through negotiation.
