This time of year is supposed to be one of joy and peace, but for couples in Colorado whose marriage is faltering, it can be anything but. Perhaps it is for this reason that once the holiday season is over and the New Year begins, there is generally a jump in the number of divorce filings. It may be the case that parents want to give their kids one last holiday as an intact family before splitting up. Or, the stress of the holidays can snowball, adding unhappiness to what is already a troubled marriage.
Ultimately, those who decide to divorce in 2020 are not alone. January has been coined “Divorce Month” by some in the legal community due to the uptick in divorce filings that month. Google Trends show that “divorce” searches peak from January 6 to January 12. In addition, from December to January in 2019, Pinterest saw the number of searches for “divorce party” go up 21% on average.
Internet searches aside, those who do decide to divorce in 2020 will have numerous legal issues to resolve. For example, if the couple has children a child custody plan needs to be established, and a child support order made. Alimony, also known as spousal support, is an issue in some divorces, especially if one party earns a significantly higher income than the other. And, couples will have to go through the property division process to determine who should retain which marital assets and debts.
The New Year means a fresh start, and for some couples in Colorado this fresh start includes a divorce. However, it is important that people familiarize themselves with the divorce process before proceeding. Fortunately, professionals are available to guide spouses through the legal aspects of divorce so that the outcome of the dissolution is fair to both sides.