Should you wait to file for divorce until the New Year?
Divorce is not a cheery and joyful occasion — however, it is necessary for many individuals. Filing for divorce may be the only thing on your mind this holiday season. However, should you wait to file for divorce until after the holidays are over?
The answer is probably yes. There are many reasons to wait to file for divorce at the start of the new year. While the wait can be hard, the benefits will be worth it in the end.
You need to consider the practical, emotional and financial purposes of waiting to file for divorce. Some of the reasons to wait until January include:
- The annual bonus: you or your spouse may be entitled to a year-end bonus that you may not get if you file for divorce before it comes.
- Let you emotions calm down. The holiday season can be stressful, even if you aren’t thinking about getting divorced. Waiting until after the holidays are over will let you think with your head and not your emotions.
- Tax implications: filing for divorce at the start of the new year will make filing taxes easier in the future.
The holidays are stressful enough. It may be in your best interests to wait until the start of 2016 to get divorced. If you do, you will definitely not be alone. January sees the most divorce filings out of the whole year.
You should speak to a divorce attorney if you are thinking about getting divorced. Several factors will need to be considered and planning ahead can go a long way in protecting your best interests now and in the future.
Source: FindLaw, “4 Reasons to Delay Divorce Until After the Holidays,” Ephrat Livini, Nov. 24, 2015
