January is the month often referred to as the month when more separations occur than any other. Certainly there appears to be a spike in numbers with newly separated individuals consulting divorce lawyers then.
Contrary to popular opinion, the timing is rarely a result of the stresses and strains of the Christmas period, but rather the problems in a marriage have been brewing for some time and people have been holding off doing anything about moving on with the separation "until they get through the Christmas period".
The reasons for separations vary widely from infidelity to simply growing apart, but in every case the best thing to do is to consult a family lawyer as early as possible, and ideally before the separation actually takes place.
Not only can it put your mind at rest by understanding the process involved in a separation and divorce, including the various alternative dispute resolutions models available, in some circumstances advance planning, including planning the timing of the separation, can make a real difference when it comes to the final outcome whether it is related to the finances or the children.