Some people in Washington may be prompted to file for divorce along with the turn of the year. There are a number of reasons why an increasing number of divorces are initiated at the beginning of a new year. In the first place, parents may be concerned about the effects on their children. For many families, the winter holidays are an important time. Parents are often very concerned about how the divorce will affect their children, even when both spouses are well aware that their marriage has come to an end. As a result, they may want to protect their children’s holiday experience by forestalling the divorce.
Parents may be aware that their children will have many holiday seasons to come with shared custody and switching back and forth between their parents’ home. They may want the last winter season together to be full of positive memories as a family, rather than the traumatic moment for kids when they learn their parents are separating. In addition, they may want to get through the many family events that often accompany the winter holidays without going through extensive questions about the reasons and plans for the divorce.
Still others may want to make a change in their lives, and the new year can prompt people to change habits. Some people may launch an exercise plan, but other people may take steps to end an unhappy relationship. The dawning of a new year can be a powerful emotional and psychological prompt to finally accomplish a person’s goals. Others may simply want to get started on their state’s waiting period to finalize a dissolution.
No matter what time of year, a divorce can carry serious emotional, financial and practical repercussions. A family law attorney may provide advice on the legal issues involved, including property division, spousal support and child custody.