The holiday season has been frenzied. In your household, it may seem like this particular holiday season has been uniquely emotionally and physically draining. Hopefully, you are enjoying it as much as you possibly can. But if you are considering filing for divorce, you may not be feeling as holly jolly as usual this year. If you are waiting to file for divorce until after the holidays, as many Americans do, please understand that there are multiple benefits to doing so.
The turning of a new year tends to be quite symbolic for many individuals. It is a time for resolutions, new beginnings and fresh starts. Filing for divorce in January can give you a sense of peace due to its very symbolism.
In addition, there are concrete new beginnings that occur in January. For example, the individual tax year begins anew on January first. As a result, filing for taxes individually next year will be much easier if you file for divorce in January and your finances are not co-mingled in the same way for the majority of the year. In addition, preparing this year’s taxes will help to give you the current financial information you need to negotiate your divorce settlement.
Finally, you may be receiving a year-end or holiday bonus within the next few weeks from your employer. This income may give you the financial wiggle room you need to file, to move out and/or to address other divorce-related expenses. The benefits of filing for divorce after the holidays may not lift your spirits much, but they can give you greater peace of mind about your decision to file in January.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Three Reasons Why January May Be the Best Time to File for Divorce,” Bari Zell Weinberger, Dec. 11, 2013