According to the Oakland Tribune, January is the month that divorce rates spike. The article reads:
After the bliss of the holidays is over, a New Year's resolution that couples might be contemplating is divorce.
Professionals who specialize in the dissolution of marriages and domestic partnerships say January usually ushers in a spike of inquiries about launching divorce proceedings. They say the divorce rate drops off dramatically from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day because couples want to get through the holidays before making a big change that often means selling property and setting up child custody arrangements.
The economy can be a double-edged sword when it comes to divorce, local experts say. Disagreements about money often spark divorce, exacerbating any other relationship problems couples might be having, but tight times also can put a damper on the financial ability of couples to end their partnerships.
"It's like throwing gas on a fire," Stephen Grant, a longtime Santa Cruz family law attorney, said about the strain financial struggles can add to already rocky relationships.
Attorneys, mediators and financial planners who deal with divorce don't anticipate the deepening national recession will have a significant impact on whether couples decide to stay together. However, job losses and upside-down mortgages might lead some to consider less costly ways to split up, such as opting for a mediated divorce rather than one hashed out in court.
