Valentine's Roses Sent, Candy Bought, Divorce Papers Filed

Did you have a happy Valentine's Day? As it turns out, many people in the U.S. are asking themselves this question for a serious reason. They are deciding whether they want to make their marriages work or file for divorce.

Various studies show that the rate of divorce filings increases temporarily during the month of February. Some suspect that the cause behind the reported 18 percent increase compared to the rest of the year is that a disappointing Valentine's Day pushes some spouses over the edge, from hoping that their marriage will work out to knowing that they want out.

Another theory is that the months leading up to February are generally busy, with Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years, etc. February gives people a chance to breathe, stop worrying about holiday celebrations and truly focus on what they want out of their lives. For some, that means that they have some web surfing to do in order to find the family law attorney that is right for them.

Though it might be easy to see this sort of story as fluff, perhaps it is valuable not to just believe that a bad Valentine's Day alone moves someone to choose divorce. Most often there is a combination of things that make ending a marriage the best means to a happier end. Not even the most perfect bunch of roses, the most delicious box of chocolates or the shiniest diamond could make up for the fact that some marriages just aren't right.

Source: CNN Money, "Day after Valentine's kicks off divorce season," Chris Isidore, Feb. 15, 2013