Ciesla Beeler, LLC

Kathryn L. Ciesla and Jennifer Cunningham Beeler have more than a combined 30 years of experience advising and representing clients on a variety of matters related to family law, custody (allocation of parental responsibilities), support (maintenance and child support), mediation, estates and trusts, probate, guardianships, business law and litigation. Our extensive background allows us to provide effective strategies and cost-effective solutions that meet our clients’ goals.

Website: https://cieslabeeler.com
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Latest from Ciesla Beeler, LLC - Page 2

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Can I get the money we paid for his student loans back when we divorce?
Are her student loans my responsibility after we divorce?
According to Experian’s State of Student Loan Debt report from August 2017, the average student loan debt in 2017 was $34,144 per borrower. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that there are more than 44 million Americans – at least 13% of all U.S. consumers – with an outstanding student loan obligation. It is not just the Gen X or Millennials with these student loans – Baby Boomers from age 50 to 70 carry…
Continue Reading Student Loan Debt and Divorce

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Can I get the money we paid for his student loans back when we divorce?
Are her student loans my responsibility after we divorce?
According to Experian’s State of Student Loan Debt report from August 2017, the average student loan debt in 2017 was $34,144 per borrower. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that there are more than 44 million Americans – at least 13% of all U.S. consumers – with an outstanding student loan obligation. It is not just the Gen X or Millennials with these student loans – Baby Boomers from age 50 to 70 carry…
Continue Reading Student Loan Debt and Divorce

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You completed your Financial Affidavit, and that was brutal. Whoever decided you needed to go through months of expenses, endless pages of credit card statements, utility bills and the like to come up with what you spend per month to run your household had to be playing a cruel joke on you . . . and it’s over, right? Not so fast, my friend. For some people it can be enough; for others, it’s just the beginning of the discovery process in divorce litigation.
Discovery, in the context of the financial aspects of your case, is the process by which…
Continue Reading What in the world is “DISCOVERY” and why do I need to do it?

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You completed your Financial Affidavit, and that was brutal. Whoever decided you needed to go through months of expenses, endless pages of credit card statements, utility bills and the like to come up with what you spend per month to run your household had to be playing a cruel joke on you . . . and it’s over, right? Not so fast, my friend. For some people it can be enough; for others, it’s just the beginning of the discovery process in divorce litigation.
Discovery, in the context of the financial aspects of your case, is the process by which…
Continue Reading What in the world is “DISCOVERY” and why do I need to do it?

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You found those texts from some other woman on his phone.
Or you had a process server hand you papers while you were putting the kids in the car for school.
You need to find a divorce attorney . . . how do you navigate the web of attorneys out there to find the firm best for you. Here are some useful things to consider.
During your divorce, your attorney will know more about you than your therapist, or your closest friends. Everything that was within the walls of your home now is disclosed. You will share information about your…
Continue Reading How to Hire a Divorce Attorney

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You found those texts from some other woman on his phone.
Or you had a process server hand you papers while you were putting the kids in the car for school.
You need to find a divorce attorney . . . how do you navigate the web of attorneys out there to find the firm best for you. Here are some useful things to consider.
During your divorce, your attorney will know more about you than your therapist, or your closest friends. Everything that was within the walls of your home now is disclosed. You will share information about your…
Continue Reading How to Hire a Divorce Attorney

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As I was driving to work the other morning, I saw a father with his two children at the end of their driveway, waiting for the school bus. A typical scene of dad wearing a jacket, huddled over his mug of coffee, casually holding the small backpacks and making morning talk with his kids while waiting.

Further on down the street, I saw three more fathers on a corner, each in their running or workout gear, chatting together while waiting with their own children. As I left our neighborhood, I saw a two more dads on morning bus duty, and…
Continue Reading Divorced Dad on Deck

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As I was driving to work the other morning, I saw a father with his two children at the end of their driveway, waiting for the school bus. A typical scene of dad wearing a jacket, huddled over his mug of coffee, casually holding the small backpacks and making morning talk with his kids while waiting.

Further on down the street, I saw three more fathers on a corner, each in their running or workout gear, chatting together while waiting with their own children. As I left our neighborhood, I saw a two more dads on morning bus duty, and…
Continue Reading Divorced Dad on Deck

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If this is your issue let me introduce you to your new favorite word, it’s called “dissipation” – how to make him (or her) re-PAY.
To the men out there, please don’t be offended, because while my example above makes the husband the “bad guy”in this situation, it definitely goes both ways.
In Illinois, a partner may allege that his/her spouse is guilty of “dissipation,” which means – spending martial funds for purposes unrelated to the marriage at a time when the marriage is suffering an irretrievable breakdown. An easy example of this is the jewelry a husband buys for…
Continue Reading “I am not paying for his trips with his girlfriend! Am I?”

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Whether both of you work, or one of you stays at home, it’s common that one spouse is primarily responsible for the household finances. If you’re reading this, my guess is that you are not the one paying the bills, balancing the checkbook, investing your money or preparing your taxes.
My grandmother often tells a story of an era now long passed. She said that my grandfather’s boss called her and said, “Violet, I know Ed is a good man and he brings you his pay check, but when you deposit it, sign his name on the back, not yours.”…
Continue Reading Divorce Planning: My spouse/partner controls all of our finances – I don’t know what we’ve got or what we owe … What do I do?