NewsTalk 1010: Is January Really 'Divorce Month'? - Featuring Laura Paris, Shulman & Partners

January is often called divorce month because many people wait until after the holidays to explore a fresh start. On NewsTalk 1010, Laura Paris, Associate Lawyer at Shulman & Partners LLP, discussed why that seasonal spike can look different during COVID. While the new year can still prompt people to re-evaluate relationships, Laura explained that pandemic uncertainty changes the calculus for many families. When jobs, restrictions, and finances feel unpredictable, even those who are unhappy may hesitate to take the next step. The interview also highlighted a reality many separated couples face: long-term decisions about housing and money can drive the timing and structure of a separation as much as emotions do.

“Futures right now are very uncertain. When you're looking into a fresh start, none of us even know what tomorrow's going to look like, so that makes it a lot scarier to embark on something like a separation.”
— Laura Paris, Associate Lawyer at Shulman & Partners LLP

In the interview, Laura explained that January is typically a busy time for divorce inquiries. She tied that pattern to a familiar mindset of new year, new me, where people use the start of the year to begin major life changes. She noted that this trend has been developing over the last several years, with more people contemplating separation soon after the holidays.

Laura then described how COVID has shifted the way people approach that decision. In her view, the biggest difference is uncertainty. During the pandemic, many people do not have a clear picture of what the next week or month will look like, whether in terms of public health restrictions or job stability. That uncertainty can make separation feel riskier than it did in prior years, even for those who were already considering it.

She also agreed that some couples may have reached a breaking point earlier than January because they had been stuck together at home since March. Laura said her experience this year included an increase in people looking to separate, driven by the pressure of being at home and having unresolved issues come to the surface more quickly.

At the same time, Laura emphasized that financial reality can deter people from moving forward with a separation. She explained that money issues play a major role in many relationships, and during COVID the financial side can become both a reason for conflict and a reason to delay legal steps. If a couple is already in a precarious financial position, separating means splitting limited resources in two and trying to support two households. For some families, that practical concern makes proceeding with a formal separation feel unmanageable.

Laura described another common scenario where couples separate emotionally but keep finances together. She said some people never formalize the separation because they recognize they are better as a unit financially, even if the relationship is no longer working. She noted this can happen more often in long-term relationships where splitting assets later in life may cause more harm than benefit.

Lastly, she also explained that it is very common for separating spouses to continue living in the same home, sometimes in separate rooms, especially when the home is the primary asset. In those situations, people may stay under one roof until they understand what support, budgets, and future living arrangements will realistically look like.

Listen to the full NewsTalk 1010 segment here. 

This media appearance is part of Shulman & Partners LLP’s ongoing contributions to Canadian family law discussions. Explore more of our media features in our In the Media  archive.