September Kicks Off the New Divorce Season

Another summer is drawing to a close and it always comes too soon. Our vacations were invariably too short, the time with our friends and family too brief. Now we find ourselves shivering in the mornings as we get ready for work and evenings on our decks and patios have turned cool. We’re packing the kids off to college or back to school. September is also the time when an increasing number of couples file for Divorce.

While there are no official statistics, divorce lawyers are noticing a new trend—a significant increase in the number of couples who are deciding to split up at the end of the summer. According to divorce lawyers and law professors, it’s a deferred decision that’s generally been made months earlier.

There is a variety of reasons triggering the September divorce trend

• Family vacations. Summer is the time for family vacations that many prefer not to disrupt, and summers can mean less stress on struggling marriages. Parents may be taking time off work, the kids are away at camp. For those with vacation homes, it may mean that couples have extended time away from each other, which provides some breathing room. When they return at the end of August, it’s time to once again face reality.
• Empty-nest syndrome. When the last child leaves for college or career, many couples find themselves staring at each other across the kitchen table and realize they have little reason to stay together. If they’re still young and healthy, there are many empty years stretching ahead of them. They may still want to be married--but they want a different spouse!
• Last-ditch effort. People are unhappy with their marriages, and their summer vacation represents an opportunity to give it one last shot. This effort is generally unsuccessful because the expectations are too high. Anyone who’s done any traveling understands the toll it can take on a relationship. Vacationing couples are faced with unstructured time, alone with each other 24/7, which rarely happens at home, where everyone is busy with work and activities. Rather than fixing things, this puts additional pressure on an already shaky relationship.
• Time for evaluating lives. For many people, September is a time for evaluation and catharsis. There is something psychological about September. It began back when we were in grade school. Even though we're not at school anymore, the memory of fresh beginnings, new clothes, school supplies, etc. is seared into us. We make New Year's resolutions at the start of the year, but for many people there's something equally, if not more profound, about September as the time for fresh new starts.

Are you thinking about Divorce? If yours is an uncontested Divorce, you don’t need an attorney, and the California Document Preparers team can help you. We’re especially sensitive to the needs of our family law clients. Call today to make an appointment.