January has a bad rep.  It’s known as Divorce Month for good reason.  With the end of the holiday season and the beginning of a new year, it makes complete sense as why so many couples delay getting divorced until after Christmas.

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Think about it for a second.  Who wants to ruin the holidays for their children by announcing that mommy and daddy no longer want to be together?

If that wasn’t reason enough for the postponement, think financially.  CNN writer, Sarah LeTrent seems to be onto something.  She remarks, “The end of the year means bonus season, a portion of which can be claimed as an asset from a spouse.Holding off until January will also not interfere with tax filings for the previous year, which most couples file jointly.”

Many men or women speak to a divorce attorney after the New Year but don’t file paperwork until March because they have a carefully calculated plan in their head.  A new year leaves plenty of room to explore what didn’t go right in the past and gives people the desire to resolve these issues so they can be happier, healthier, and better equipped to deal with their future.  Although it may be painful to admit that a marriage is not working, it could very well be the one option that brings the greatest personal satisfaction to the man or woman filing for divorce.

The writing is usually on the wall.  One Huffington Post reader knew that it was over when she couldn’t bring herself to put her wedding ring back on after taking it off.  Another mentioned how her husband said he was bullied into having a child even though their son’s birth was planned.  There were lots of instances of text messages and rendezvous on the side.  One reader suggested “trusting your gut” when it comes to affairs of the heart.

Genetics, financial status, and education all play a role in divorce rates but what if location works against you and your ability to keep it together as a couple?  The cities and states with the highest divorce rates include Panama City, FL, Sierra Vista, AZ, Charleston, WV, Medford, OR, Reno, NV, and Pueblo, CO not to mention other cities in Florida.So, not only does the time of year make a difference in divorce proceedings, so does the place a man or woman calls home.

This is not your parents’ generation, we’re talking about either.  Social media has taken its toll on plenty of modern –day marriages.  In fact, Divorce Online reported that a third of all divorce filings in 2011 contained one familiar word, Facebook.  If that wasn’t alarming enough, 80 percent of U.S. divorce attorneys say that social networking in divorce proceedings is on the rise according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

If you’re considering a divorce now that 2014 is here, you’ll need to speak to an attorney about what steps you need to take to ensure that everything goes smoothly.  For instance, you’ll want to keep the bashing to a minimum on social media sites.  What you say online can and will mostly likely be used against you in a court of law.

About the Author:
David R. Jones is a criminal defense attorney at the Denver and Golden, Colorado-based Law Offices of D.R. Jones. A former Colorado State Public Defender, Mr. Jones earned his law degree from the University of Denver, College of Law and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1996. He is a member of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, National Association of Trial Advocacy, and is active in community efforts to improve the criminal justice system.