Dividing up the marital estate in an Illinois divorce is often a difficult task, but when marital property includes valuable assets, this can make asset division even more complex. If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage but have amassed many high-value assets, you may want to seek the legal assistance of a skilled Illinois high asset divorce attorney for help in reaching a fair and appropriate divorce settlement.
Equitable Distribution
Illinois is an equitable distribution state, meaning that all marital property is divided between the spouses in the way deemed most fair for each spouse’s situation
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Questions to Ask Your Illinois Divorce Attorney
It is estimated that there are just under 100,000 attorneys in the state of Illinois. With so many law firms to choose from, it is critical for a potential client to know how to weed out those attorneys who will aggressively advocate for them and those that simply want to settle up cases as quickly as possible and just collect their fees.
When a person is facing serious legal issues, it is important to find the best attorney for their situation. The first step is speaking with those attorneys who specialize in the client’s needed area of law. If you
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Why Is It Important to Acknowledge Paternity in Illinois?
In Illinois, legal paternity is not assumed, but rather, it must be affirmatively acknowledged. It is imperative that you understand how to establish paternity so that you do not wind up with limited rights to see your children. A failure to acknowledge paternity at the appropriate time can severely restrict your right not only to see the children, but to exercise a father’s rights with regard to their lives and welfare.
Illinois Paternity Process
The procedure to formally acknowledge paternity differs, depending on whether the father is married to the child’s mother. If the couple is married at the time
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Help for Illinois Domestic Violence Victims
In the United States, a woman is killed as a result of domestic violence every six hours. One in four women in this country will be a victim of domestic violence at some point in their lives. Statistics show that every nine seconds, a woman is battered by her partner. Seventy-five percent of domestic violence victims have children living in their homes. Studies show that the closer a woman is to leaving and divorcing her abuser, the more dangerous the situation becomes.
At Botti Marinaccio, LTD., our legal team is well aware of these tragic statistics. If you are a
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What Qualifies as Social Media Evidence in an Illinois Divorce?
It is fairly common when a person is going through a divorce to vent about their frustrations about their soon-to-be-ex on social media. Many people who do this believe that since they are in control of their privacy setting, what they are posting is not “public” view, not realizing that their spouse’s attorney can actually gain legal access to these posts if they feel it would be useful evidence in the divorce. This is why it is important to be cognizant of everything you post since it could end up costing you money or even parenting time.
Understanding the Full
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Modifications to Illinois Divorce Decrees
Many people would like to believe that once their divorce decree is final, they will never have to deal with their ex in a courtroom again. The truth of the matter, however, is that there are several issues that could come up that may necessitate a modification to the couple’s divorce judgment. Whatever the reason for the modification petition, there are requirements set forth by the state of Illinois that must be shown to the court to be granted the requested modification.
What Can Be Modified?
Under Illinois law, almost every part of a divorce decree can be modified
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Do Illinois Courts Recognize Visitation Rights for Non-Parents?
In today’s society, we see all types of blended families. There are often many different people who are involved in the raising of a child, including stepparents and grandparents. Unfortunately, it is also not uncommon for there to be a change in familial circumstances and because of the wishes of the child’s biological parents or other legal issues, these adults find themselves shut out of the child’s life. In some circumstances, they may have legal recourse under Illinois law.
Visitation and Blood Relatives
Under current Illinois law, a non-custodial parent is entitled to reasonable visitation rights unless the court determines
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How Do Illinois Family Courts Address Parental Relocation?
It is not uncommon after a divorce for one parent or the other to make the decision to move from the area they were living in while the divorce was taking place. If the move will only be in the same municipality or close by, then it should not pose any issues regarding the parenting plan that the ex-spouses have. But how do Illinois courts address parental relocation when one parent wants to move further away, and how much say does the other parent have?
Moving Versus Parental Relocation
Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), there
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Three Tips to Help You Financially Prepare For Your Cook County High-Asset Divorce
The process of untangling marital finances is complicated and often very messy. Divorce is already a tough process in many ways, but when significant financial issues are at stake, an already degrading relationship between spouses can quickly become hostile. Every divorce is different, with its own unique challenges and complexities, but there are certain steps divorcing spouses can take to prepare themselves financially for a high-asset divorce.
Be Cautious When Acting on Advice
Everybody has an opinion when you get divorced. You may have a friend whose attorney recommended they take a specific action that yielded positive results; your
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You May Want a Financial Restraining Order During Your Illinois Divorce if Your Spouse Does One of These Three Things
Financial differences and disagreements are among the most common reasons couples cite for relationship breakdown. The inability to manage financial resources can lead to difficult and complex issues, such as debt or burdensome shopping habits, that can ultimately make a divorce inevitable. Perhaps surprisingly, higher-income couples with significant net worth are actually more likely to disagree about finances in ways that lead to divorce. If you are considering a divorce in Illinois and are worried that your spouse may take irresponsible financial actions, a financial restraining order may benefit you.
What is a Financial Restraining Order?
A financial restraining order
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Five Ways an Illinois Divorce Could Make Your Life Better
Often, the only things we hear about divorce are the worst parts. It can be expensive, stressful, and last far longer than one might hope. But there are also major benefits to getting divorced–especially if you are trapped in an unhappy marriage or find that you and your spouse no longer share common goals. If you are considering divorce, here are five ways that doing so could make your life better.
Your Finances Could Improve
Although divorce is notoriously expensive, for many people the money they save from divorcing a spouse sooner rather than later can pay off in the
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How Long Can I Stay On My Spouse’s Insurance After Our Illinois Divorce?
Of the many parts of your financial picture that will likely change after divorce, health insurance is one of the most important. This is especially true for spouses who have been homemakers or out of the workforce for any other reason. Becoming financially self-sufficient can take some time and knowing whether you can remain on your former spouse’s insurance is an important part of preparing financially for your divorce. Fortunately, Illinois’ Spousal Continuation Law allows former spouses to continue coverage after the divorce is finalized.
Getting Continued Insurance Coverage After Divorce
If you want to remain on your spouse’s
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3 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Divorce Attorney in Illinois
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, divorce rates have been on the decline since 2012. Even so, divorce is still a common practice amongst adults who have tried to make their marriage work yet no longer believe the partnership is worth continuing.
The decision to pursue a divorce is not one that anybody takes lightly. Whether you have made the decision to divorce your current spouse or your partner presented you with divorce papers, the process can seem daunting.
Thankfully, an attorney can support and guide you through the process of getting a divorce in the state of
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What To Know About Alimony When Getting a Divorce in Illinois
Divorce is a very complex matter. It signifies the finality of a marriage, but divorce proceedings do not end there. They also entail a lot of technicalities, such as child custody, the separation of assets, and alimony.
Otherwise known as spousal maintenance or spousal support, alimony is a main player in many divorce cases. Alimony is financial support paid by one former spouse to the other.
Who Determines the Value and Dispersal of Alimony?
During divorce proceedings, whether or not alimony will be paid by one former spouse to the other party will depend on the specific details pertaining to the divorce
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Three Factors to Consider When Calculating Child Support in Illinois
Child support can be a difficult part of divorce to navigate. The parent paying child support often feels upset because he or she may be paying more money but getting less parenting time, and the parent receiving child support often feels as though the amount is inadequate to meet the children’s true needs. Whichever side you are on – paying or receiving – you have a legal obligation to provide financial support to your children, and it is important to know how child support is calculated in Illinois. Here are three factors to consider as support payments are determined:
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Five Fast Facts About Child Support in Illinois
Parents getting divorced in Illinois with underage children face the daunting challenge of understanding Illinois’ child support laws. Although the laws are not unnecessarily complex, it still requires some effort to set clear expectations and ensure parents always meet their obligations. If you are getting divorced and have questions about child support, these five facts may be helpful.
Child Support is Calculated Using Both Parents’ Incomes
Some people may be surprised to learn that the income of both parents is considered when calculating child support payments. Both parents’ net incomes are combined and then divided according to how much
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