England has unofficially proclaimed January third as Divorce Day, also known as D-Day. This is the date that the number of individuals filing for divorce reaches an annual high. In addition, England has become the divorce capital of the world due to generous alimony payments received from wealthier spouses.
After the busiest shopping season of the year comes the busiest time for divorce lawyers in the United Kingdom. Often couples will stay together through the holidays because of their children. They don't want fond memories of stuffed stockings and holiday festivities to become part of their children's memory associated with a parent leaving home and having to restructure the family.
Some individuals would rather tolerate their in-laws during the holiday season instead of having to deal with the backlash of an uncontested divorce announcement. Yet, it's the very strain of having to deal with family members and eroded relationships that send people running to a divorce lawyer in January. The holidays can already be a stressful time of year, especially in a recovering economy, and waning relationships have great difficulty surviving holiday ordeals and making it to the new year intact.
Baby boomers are no exception in filing for an uncontested divorce in January. Grandparents can be very sensitive to wanting their children and grandchildren to have a memorable holiday season. Sometimes they reflect on a less than happy holiday season they had when growing up and are all the more determined to make it enjoyable for their families. Yet, with more women at an age of having achieved financial independence, they no longer have to rely on their husbands and want to live out the rest of their lives on their own terms.
In the U.S., tax incentives are a significant incentive to waiting untill the beginning of the year to start a divorce. A couple may wait to get their tax forms from their employers. This allows them to expedite settling up financial matters written into a marital settlement agreement and moving smoothly through their uncontested divorce.
Sir Paul Coleridge, U.K. High Court Judge, has gone as far as to set up a foundation in hopes of reducing the number of couples getting a divorce. This year he launched the Marriage Foundation in hopes of protecting the institution of marriage. On of the powerful slogans to come from the foundation is "It's not ok that this child only has a 50/50 chance of living with both parents by the age of 16". Critics have raised concerns to his potential biases when making rulings as a judge.
