You may be surprised to learn that the day after Valentine’s Day begins the annual busy season for Cerritos divorce lawyers. Research published by AttorneyFee.com indicates that divorce filings each February in the U.S. are about eighteen percent above the number of filings in an average month.

A second legal site, Avvo.com, reports that there is an annual forty percent rise in the number of married persons who are seeking legal advice about divorce in the days immediately following Valentine’s Day.

Why is there a spike in the number of divorce filings every February? Is there something wrong with Valentine’s Day, or are there other reasons for the seasonal increase in divorce filings?

IS VALENTINE’S DAY A REASON WHY PEOPLE GET DIVORCED?

Richard Komaiko is a co-founder of AttorneyFee.com. Komaiko tells CNN that “There’s a very large number of people who are considering the divorce all the time, deciding whether or not to file. On Valentine’s Day, they take stock of things.”

Why Valentine’s Day? There are several good reasons. For many people, summers are dedicated to vacations and fun, and the holidays are for families, so the best time to file for a divorce is when the holidays are over, the year is still new, and some extra cash is expected from the IRS.

ARE TAX REFUNDS THE REAL REASON WHY FEBRUARY IS DIVORCE SEASON?

Many contend that tax season is divorce season because Valentine’s Day is generally when people start receiving tax refunds. In southern California, if you plan to pay for a divorce with your IRS tax refund this year, consult at once with an experienced Cerritos divorce attorney.

At least one partner’s income, finances, and lifestyle will probably change quite dramatically after a divorce, so if you are intending to use your tax refund to pay for a divorce this tax season, you must be prepared to deal with the financial changes and challenges that a divorce entails.

If you seek a divorce after receiving your tax refund this year, you should be aware that you could be asking for genuine financial trouble if the financial particulars of your case are not reviewed thoroughly and handled properly by a knowledgeable and skill divorce lawyer.

WHAT FINANCIAL STEPS SHOULD YOU TAKE PRIOR TO A DIVORCE?

To prepare – wisely – for a divorce, go ahead and take these six key financial steps:

Open one or more new bank accounts in your name only.
Thoroughly review your financial condition and your credit report.
Create a practical personal budget that works, and stick with it.
Cancel any joint credit cards that you share with your spouse.
You may need to change the beneficiary of your bank accounts and life insurance.
Speak at once with a good California divorce attorney.

It is quite easy to see why so many people wait for a tax refund and then file for a divorce. Tax refunds, however, may not be the only reason why February is the month with the most divorce filings.

DOES VALENTINE’S DAY “TRIGGER” DIVORCE FILINGS?

Alton Abramowitz, the president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, suspects that Valentine’s Day itself – and the expectation of romance on the holiday – may in fact be the trigger that brings many already-troubled marriages to the point of divorce.

Abramowitz tells CNN, “There’s always the clients who come in a day or two after saying, ‘I can’t believe it, I made this beautiful dinner for my husband for Valentine’s Day, he called to say he was stuck in the office and then didn’t come home at all.'”

For whatever reason you may choose to divorce, do not even think about starting a divorce in California without the sound legal guidance and advice that a seasoned divorce lawyer can offer. Far too much – your future, your finances, and if you are a parent, your kids – will be at stake.

HOW MUCH WILL A DIVORCE COST IN CERRITOS, CA?

The cost of a divorce will depend on precisely what legal services you need. When everything is in dispute, a divorce costs more, but when divorcing spouses can agree, and when issues like custody, child support, and alimony can be resolved in advance, you will pay significantly less.

However, when divorcing spouses can’t agree on anything, a trial to resolve their disputes can be quite costly in California. Reaching some voluntary mutual agreements is realistically the only way to reduce the cost of a divorce in this state.

Still, most divorce attorneys can arrange a realistic and practical payment plan that will work for almost anyone. And under California law, if one partner rejects settlement agreements in a way that drives up litigation costs, a court may order that partner to pay for the other spouse’s lawyer.

A judge may also order one spouse to pay the other’s legal fees if a spouse is so disadvantaged financially that the proceeding would otherwise be entirely unfair. A disadvantaged spouse may ask a judge to examine the couple’s finances and to guarantee the fairness of the proceeding.

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A CALIFORNIA DIVORCE?

Of course, because every divorce is different, if you are divorcing, considering a divorce, or anticipating a divorce in southern California this year, you will need to have a qualified divorce lawyer explain what the fees and the other costs will be in your own situation.

You already know that a divorce is an emotional experience, but it will be important to stay focused on your finances. Take full advantage of the legal advice, insights, representation, resources, and experience that your divorce attorney offers.

You do not need to prove “fault” to divorce in California. To obtain a divorce in this state, at least one spouse must be a resident of the state for at least six successive months and must be a resident of the county where the divorce petition is filed for at least three consecutive months.

A good divorce attorney’s help is your right. Do not be intimidated, and do not let financial anxiety hold you back. Reliable legal help is here for you in southern California, but you must take the first step and make the call to an experienced Cerritos divorce attorney.