Divorces tend to spike in August when kids head back to school and couples start to face the post-summer reality that their marriage isn’t salvageable. However, new divorce filings start to lag as the holiday season approaches – and won’t typically pick up again until January.
There are good reasons for that. A lot of people don’t want to go through a divorce during the holidays because they don’t want the focus of every family gathering to be on their situation, or they don’t want the expense – or they don’t want to permanently damage their children’s feelings about the season.
If you feel like you missed the “divorce window” back in August and you’re now waiting until the new year, that doesn’t mean you should simply sit on your hands.
What should you do to get ready for your divorce next year?
You can put this time to good use and make your divorce a lot easier if you:
- Get counseling: You need to be 100% sure about your decision, and you need someplace to vent. That way, your emotions won’t lead you to do anything rash that you’ll later regret. Building your support system now, with a therapist, can give you a lot more strength later.
- Get your finances together: This means making sure you have copies of your tax returns, bank account statements, investment statements and the like on hand. You also need to know exactly what kind of debts you carry. All of these become important when it comes time to divide the marital estate.
- Start contemplating a budget: What will your post-divorce life look like? You need to figure out a budget before you can give yourself that answer. Start researching housing, put aside some money to relocate and make plans for the future. That can help stave off anxiety about what may come and give you something positive to focus on.
Finally, this is also a good time to start looking for the appropriate legal guidance. You don’t have to wait until you’re ready to file for divorce to seek a consultation and learn more about your legal options.