The month of February calls for more than black history celebration, a day for remembering Presidents, and the nation’s top greeting card holiday. A recent study shows that, Valentine’s Day, a holiday best known for bringing loved ones closer together, may also mark a season of separation. The study, receiving data from New York, California, and Illinois, shows an 18% average increase of divorce rates during the month of February and a 38% spike after the Valentine’s holiday.
The study’s data is not all too surprising as the holiday comes wrapped with romantic expectations for everyone, even couples on the rocks. Most divorces are contemplated months before action is taken, and for many already considering divorce Valentine’s Day is often a plain for reevaluation of these thoughts. When exceptions are not met or fulfilled problems can surface that may trigger action.
However, other factors may attribute to February’s high divorces rates. High bankruptcy rates in January following the New Year and holiday season may highlight financial problems that can often divide couples. Colder weather months also have higher rates of depression and keep troubled couples confined indoors where problems can brew. But no matter what the cause, February 15th has family law attorneys gearing up for divorce season.
Valentine’s Day may be for lovers, but the days following seems all about divorce. For those couples on the rocks the idea of divorce may seem more of a reality after an unhappy holiday. A family law attorney may provide counsel for those seeking separation from an unhappy union.
Source: CNN Money, “Day after Valentine’s kicks off divorce season,” Chris Isidore, Feb. 15, 2013
