My Ex-Spouse Is Not Complying With the Divorce Judgment or Order
Going through a divorce can be one of the most difficult parts of a person’s life. For many people, once the divorce itself is over it feels like a massive weight has been lifted off of their shoulders. Unfortunately, some people who go through a divorce have to keep fighting even after the divorce is […]
Was My Marriage Legal?
When a relationship does not work out and a person begins to consider divorce, he or she may also question the legality of his or her marriage. If you were married in the state of Illinois, there are certain qualifications that are required in order for you to be legally married. For example, you cannot […]
Family Law Update Part II: Senate Bill 57 and Divorce Requirement Changes
Deciding to get divorced is probably one of the toughest decisions you will ever have to make. However, Illinois lawmakers made the road to divorce or legal separation significantly easier with the passing of Illinois Senate Bill 57 which was signed by Governor Bruce Rauner on July 21, 2015 and goes into effect on January 1, 2016. […]
Unique Divorce Issues in Military Families
Divorce is a complicated part of life regardless of you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse’s careers. However, certain unique issues may arise when your or your spouse is in the military. You may have questions regarding where you can file for divorce or what will happen regarding you or your spouse’s military benefits in a divorce. What […]
What Is Abandonment?
While divorce is a complicated matter that forever changes important aspects of a couple’s life, it has been simplified over the years in some regards. One major way is that it is now easier to obtain a divorce than it was historically. Unfortunately, various ideas of how divorce used to be have remained entrenched in our collective […]
Does Cheating Affect a Divorce's Outcome?
Cheating, along with lack of commitment and too much arguing, is one of the most common reasons given for divorce. Often, divorcing parties wonder whether one or both spouses’ infidelity will affect the outcome of a divorce. Does infidelity play a role in child custody disputes, affect maintenance awards, or impact the distribution of marital property? […]
Social Media Plays a Role in Divorce
Couples do not enter into a marriage expecting or wanting a divorce. Yet when a couple is no longer able to work or live together, divorce may be the best option. Infidelity, money troubles, arguments over how children should be raised, and experiencing tragedies such as a serious illness or death can all contribute to […]
Illinois Legislature Considering Changes to Divorce Law
Divorces are complicated. On a personal level, they are complicated because of the emotions tied up in many of the decisions that have to be made, be they about child rearing or property division. However, divorces are also complicated on a legal level. In one way, they are particularly complex when children are involved, as […]
What Happens When An Employer Fails To Withhold Child Support?
Whether it is due to an agreement by the parties or because of a problem with missed payments, often times child support payments are made via income withholding. In an ideal world, this is great for both parents. So long as the support-paying parent stays at a job, the custodial parent can rely on consistent payments. On […]
What You Need To Know About Common Law Marriage
Common law marriage is not something that comes up often in Illinois. Under state statute, couples have not been allowed to contract a common law marriage in Illinois since June 30, 1905. However, the mere fact that people cannot contract new common law marriages in our state does not mean that common law marriage does not […]
Annulments: The Invalidity of a Marriage
Under most circumstances, when a marriage is broken beyond repair the way to end it is through divorce. However, there are limited cases where divorce is not the appropriate remedy. In some cases, an annulment may actually be the best way to achieve a legal separation. While Illinois does not technically have a process for […]
Issues Related To High Net Worth Divorces
The decision to divorce a spouse can be a difficult one to make, and it may cause a lot of mental anguish to both parties involved. In Illinois, laws related to marriage and divorce are outlined by statute in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (The Act). According to the Act, a couple must […]
The Importance of Saving For Retirement
With the year coming to an end, many people look forward to taking time off during the holiday season and for their highly anticipated year-end bonuses. Although it may be tempting to use some of the money received as a year-end bonus to splurge on material items such as cars, electronics or even a relaxing […]
Dealing With Divorce and Children During The Holidays
The holidays are a time to come together with family and to spend extra time with loved ones. Although meant to be a light and joyous time, for couples going through a divorce the holidays can actually be very stressful. In fact, according to a poll conducted by Match.com, 76 percent of the singles surveyed reported that […]
Money Arguments: Ways Avoid a Financial Wedge In a Marriage
Money and finances can be a contentious topic when not handled with care. How one spends, saves, and invests money can be a very personal decision. Additionally, it can become increasingly complex when money is drawn from a joint account, but a couple has completely different ideas about how finances should be dispersed. Money Arguments Are Top […]
Is Your Spouse Hiding Assets?
One of the issues that may be negotiated during a divorce is how to divide the financial assets of the couple into an equitable division. All too frequently, one party attempts to hide assets from the other party in an attempt to make their high-net monetary worth appear less than it actually is. If you suspect your […]
Why Do Some Marriages End?
Several researchers and psychologists continue to allege that the current divorce rate is approximately 50 percent. However, according to one researcher who has gained her research knowledge from Harvard, and has conducted a more accurate study to uncover the real divorce rate, it is actually much lower. In fact, this researcher claims that the actual divorce […]
Common Issues in High-Net Worth Divorces
Divorce can be a long and drawn out process for any couple, but when there is a large amount of money at stake, it can be even more complex. According to Forbes Magazine, there are currently approximately 1,645 billionaires across the globe with a total net worth of over $6.4 trillion dollars. Professionals, such as business […]
Helping Your Children Cope with Divorce
A couple’s decision to end a marriage can be difficult for not only the two of them but for any children the couple share. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the divorce rate as of 2011 was at approximately 53 percent. Although divorce has become more prevalent within the United States and is […]
When are You Eligible for an Annulment in Illinois?
The decision to end a marriage is not easy and can be emotionally and physically draining on both spouses. In Illinois, there are essentially two ways to terminate a marriage: either by a divorce or by an annulment. Although both methods make it so that the couple is no longer married, the eligibility factors for […]