If divorce rates follow their typical trend, they will increase at the end of this summer. August almost always has a higher divorce rate than June or July. It remains high for a short time and then begins declining into the fall months.
What is it about the end of summer that brings an increase in divorces? There are a few different factors to consider.
The children go back to school
Some parents are waiting until their children return to school. If someone realizes they want a divorce in June, for instance, they may simply decide to wait for two months so they have a bit more free time to focus on the legal process. Summer schedules can be chaotic.
The summer didn’t save the marriage
In other cases, people are looking at the summer as one more chance to see if they can save their relationship. They know they’ve been having problems, but they think family trips or camping vacations will bring them closer together. If it doesn’t happen by the fall, then they file for divorce.
Avoiding the upcoming holidays
Another thing to remember is that many people don’t want to file for divorce in October, November or December. This is the traditional holiday season, which they do not see as an optimal time to go through a divorce. August sees a spike in filings because people don’t want to put the divorce off any longer.
No matter when you decide to file for divorce, there are many different areas to consider. Be sure you know what legal options you have at this time.