There is no one-size-fits-all answer about when to file for divorce. Instead, you should carefully evaluate all of your options and decide what works best for you.
There are some great reasons to wait until next year to file. First, in many cases the holidays can bring couples together. If the holidays do not lead to reconciliation, at the least waiting will allow you to have one more holiday season together for the sake of the children. Also, the holidays are an extremely busy time of the year for most people. Adding a divorce to the mix usually ends up making an already-hectic period even worse. Finally, postponing the divorce until after the holidays will give you more time to gather and prepare information you will need for a divorce – including financial statements, tax returns, and other documentation.
However, there can be some drawbacks to waiting to file for divorce. Your current living situation may be absolutely intolerable. In that case, there may be no reason to postpone the inevitable. If you are planning a divorce without your spouse’s knowledge, the longer you wait, the more likely it is your spouse will find out your plans, which could lead him or her to conceal assets or file divorce before you. Finally, the longer you wait, the more likely it is that your spouse could become ill, lose his or her job, or face a variety of other problems that will compromise your divorce plans.