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While a lot of people are aware of the most common topics that generally need to be divided up in a divorce – child custody; alimony/spousal support; division of property, assets, and debts – there are some divorce issues that people are less aware of. You might be surprised to know, for example, that what happens to a family pet in divorce is an entire topic of its own.
Some people might consider pets property since they are animals and not humans. But in many cases, families consider their pet a member of the family. This can make it harder
Continue Reading Who Will Get Our Dog in an Illinois Divorce?

Credit card debt is a widespread issue across America and poses a particular challenge during divorce. If either spouse has student loans, a mortgage, personal loans, or credit card debt, what happens to it will be decided as part of the debt division to be settled in divorce proceedings. If you are considering divorce and are concerned about your spouse’s credit card debt, a knowledgeable divorce lawyer can offer insight into the process and help you protect your rights.
How Is Debt Distributed in Illinois?
Illinois is considered an “equitable distribution state” for the division of both assets and
Continue Reading What Happens with Credit Card Debt in an Illinois Divorce?

Most people might think they have a basic understanding of what is involved in a divorce, but the vast majority are not familiar with what the most common divorce-related child custody terms mean. In general, if you have never experienced something yourself, you will be less familiar with it. The same goes for divorce and child custody matters. If you have never had a reason to gain an understanding of all the important factors in a divorce settlement where children are involved, the chances are you might lack some understanding of what all the terms mean. If you are
Continue Reading A Glossary of Custody Terms

Many parents struggle to maintain their previous work schedule once they have children. It can be difficult just handling the basics of dropping them off at school on time and bringing them after school when you are expected to be at work around the time school starts and your workday lasts longer than the school day. A long commute can make it nearly impossible. When you consider that many children also have extra-curricular activities, medical appointments, or special needs, the logistics alone can be too much to handle for a working parent. This leads many families to decide that one
Continue Reading Is There Any Hope for a Stay-At-Home Mother Getting Divorced?

Typically speaking, a divorce is not a simple process for anyone. Even if you and your spouse agree rationally on all the issues involved, there can be an emotional component. Once, you were committed to each other and now you are figuring out how to separate your lives. In addition to the emotional issues, there can be financial implications. In some divorce settlements, people can be responsible for covering any debt their ex incurred during their marriage. This can include education fees, investments they made, or payment plans that have not been completed. If you are considering divorce but are
Continue Reading Do I Need to Cover My Ex’s Debt if We Get Divorced in Illinois?

There is a common assumption that if a couple has children, the mother will automatically get most of the parental rights and responsibilities in a divorce: the mother will get full custody and the father will only be able to visit with the children; the mother will have all decision-making rights for the children, regarding their schooling or healthcare or anything else; the father will pay child support and the mother will be the main parent in the child’s life. These assumptions are no longer accurate.
Every state has its own laws for this section of the law, and
Continue Reading Will My Wife Get All Parental Rights in Our Illinois Divorce?

Every divorce is unique. Some couples can settle their separation amicably, through an uncontested divorce. Other couples might have such powerful animosity that they may go through what is called a high-conflict divorce. Some couples will settle their divorce in court, while others will do so through mediation. Regardless of the different ways a divorce could be settled, the actual aspects of life that need to be decided on in the divorce settlement are generally similar. If you are considering divorce, an experienced Kane County, IL, divorce attorney can explain what you can reasonably expect your divorce settlement
Continue Reading What Can I Expect in an Illinois Divorce Settlement?

While it is true that no two divorces are the same, there are still some issues that commonly come up. Whether the two spouses are splitting up amicably or are unable to even make eye contact, they will still generally need to figure out asset division, spousal support, and property division. And regardless of how easily a couple can reach agreements about all those things in a divorce, child custody issues are commonly difficult to work out.
A couple can be ending their marriage on great terms and still find it nearly impossible to formulate a plan for how
Continue Reading What Should I Know About Working with a Guardian Ad Litem

Many people have heard about a prenuptial agreement, a sort of contract drawn up between two people about to join together in the bonds of marriage. A prenuptial agreement is like a rainy-day policy: something you have ready “just in case” but hope you will not need. However, engaged couples often opt out of a prenuptial agreement and later regret doing so. If you are already married but think having an agreement in place “just in case,” a Kane County, IL divorce lawyer can help guide you and your spouse through the process of establishing a postnuptial agreement.
What
Continue Reading Should My Spouse and I Sign a Postnuptial Agreement?

Social media is unquestionably a fact of life these days. People use social networks to connect with geographically distant friends and family, share milestones and view those of their friends, meet potential romantic interests, do some professional networking or collaboration, and a ton of other things. But be warned: anything you post online can be seen by anyone else who tries hard enough, which could affect your divorce. Suppose you are considering divorce and are concerned your social media conduct might influence your divorce settlement. In that case, you should speak with a knowledgeable Kane County, IL divorce attorney
Continue Reading Why Should I Be Careful about Social Media Usage Before Divorce?

When parents go through a divorce, they need to reach agreements on several different issues that can affect their family. Even if the divorce is not contentious and the two sides can come to an amicable settlement, the parenting plan that they formulate will naturally be based on their circumstances at the time of the divorce. As often happens in life, sometimes unexpected changes can happen to a divorced parent, and these can make it challenging to adhere to the original parenting plan. If changes in your life have you considering changes to your parenting plan, an experienced DuPage
Continue Reading Can My Ex Stop Me from Relocating with Our Kids?

In the State of Illinois, the only reason that the courts will deem acceptable for divorce is something called irreconcilable differences since Illinois is a “no-fault” state. It does not matter if one spouse was disloyal, lied, or hurt the other. According to the State of Illinois, the only acceptable reason for divorce is irreconcilable differences, and in such a case, neither side is to blame. 
 
Irreconcilable differences mean the marital relationship has broken down, and all attempts to reconcile have failed. If you are in Illinois, you have tried to reconcile with your spouse, and you can see
Continue Reading What Does the State of Illinois Consider Grounds for Divorce?

Sometimes, a divorce can be finalized amicably through mediation. Some divorces are finalized by the spouses’ respective lawyers negotiating the various issues that need to be decided. Other times, in a highly contentious contested divorce, a deposition is used to help gather information before a court trial. If you believe a deposition is in your future, a Kane County, IL divorce attorney can explain what you can expect and guide you through the process.
What Should I Know about a Divorce Deposition?
A deposition is a way to get court-recognized testimony, out of the court. The sides have the opportunity to
Continue Reading What Is Involved in an Illinois Divorce Deposition?

When a couple with children goes through a divorce, there are many issues they need to work out in their divorce settlement. Where will each spouse live? Where will the children live? Who will decide where the children go to school? Who will pay child support, and how much will those payments be?
The arrangements agreed upon during a divorce settlement are naturally based on the circumstances at the time of the divorce. But if conditions change, it could have a huge impact on a parent’s ability to fulfill their end of the deal. If you are a
Continue Reading Child Support and Unemployment

In a typical happy marriage, both spouses are open and honest with each other. But for many couples, this is not their reality. In many marriages, someone might suspect their spouse of infidelity, someone might feel they are married to the wrong person, and someone might think their spouse is hiding assets from them.
In a high-asset divorce, concealing assets is a fairly common practice. One reason for this is that the spouse hiding the assets is hoping not to need to share them with their ex in a divorce settlement. Another reason is there are common misunderstandings about
Continue Reading How Can I Tell if My Spouse Is Hiding Assets from Me?

Alimony, otherwise known as spousal maintenance, can have a big impact on both the one paying it and the one receiving it. It can greatly affect their finances and is a major consideration in their financial planning. Without it, many more unhappy couples would likely remain married. Why? If one spouse has filled the “homemaker” role while the other has developed their career, the nonworking spouse would otherwise have no way to finance their life if they divorced. The spouse who spent all those years working and earning would have been unable to do so if the other spouse
Continue Reading How Is Alimony Calculated in Illinois?