One of the most important parts of a divorce is the division of marital assets. Spouses are bound by Illinois law to be transparent and forthcoming about their individual and shared finances so they can negotiate fairly and come to an equitable resolution, as required by the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. 
When a spouse is deceptive and attempts to hide property, savings, income, investments, or other assets, effective action is required to investigate and reveal the missing information. A competent Illinois divorce attorney can help you track down missing assets before a judgment or help you appeal…
Continue Reading How to Find Hidden Assets in Your Illinois Divorce

For children whose parents are divorced, child support is an essential part of ensuring they get their needs met by both parents. Illinois law uses a formula to determine payments using the Income Shares method, and payments are generally made from the non-residential parent to the residential parent (or the parent who has the most parenting time). 
Sometimes, after child support payments have been determined, an unexpected expense will occur. Children may become seriously ill and require expensive medical treatment, or be diagnosed with a learning disability that requires extensive tutoring or in-class support. When these things happen, Illinois…
Continue Reading Can Child Support Be Increased for Unexpected Expenses? 

For most married couples in Illinois, there comes at least one moment during their relationship when they wonder whether staying together is the right choice. Some of these couples have problems that can be solved. They push through their challenges and come out on the other side stronger and more committed to each other. For some couples, however, deciding to end their marriage is irrefutably the right choice. An abusive or dishonest spouse, differing core values, or a gradual process of growing apart make getting divorced the most sensible choice. 
Many people find themselves at a crossroads, unsure whether the…
Continue Reading When is it Time to Consider Divorce? 

The marital home is often the most valuable asset a couple owns and is consequently one of the most difficult and embittered issues in a divorce’s asset division. This is complicated by the fact that couples usually have children and the marital home is the place where those children have shared their lives with their parents. Parents may understandably have concerns about uprooting the children by selling the marital home and moving them somewhere new. 
But one spouse keeping the marital home is not necessarily the best for everyone. Just as the home is generally a couple’s most valuable asset,…
Continue Reading Who Keeps the Marital Home in an Illinois Divorce? 

Unlike other things that must be addressed and divided in a divorce, Social Security benefits are often forgotten until after the divorce is over. This is because Social Security benefits are not actually subject to division in a divorce. However, under certain circumstances, divorced spouses are entitled to receive benefits based on their former spouse’s work history. As long as the necessary circumstances are met, the benefits a beneficiary spouse can receive are based on the former spouse’s entire work history – not just the period during which they were married. 
Am I Eligible To Receive My Former Spouse’s…
Continue Reading Social Security Benefits in Your Illinois Divorce

Couples in Illinois often still live together when one spouse files for divorce. Many reasons, including the financial impact of maintaining two households, compel them to continue living together while the divorce process is underway. However, divorces can be conflict-ridden, and living together may prove impossible. 
Spouses who find themselves in this situation but dislike the idea of leaving their children or fear the repercussions of leaving the home may wonder what to do. Can one spouse force the other to leave the home? Will leaving the home impact a court’s future decisions about parenting time or asset division?…
Continue Reading Should I Move Out of My House Before the Divorce is Final? 

Originally instituted as a method by which gay and lesbian couples could get married in Illinois without federal approval, civil unions are now used by a wide variety of people for many reasons. Some couples are simply disinterested in the large ceremonies and expensive receptions that often accompany weddings, and some couples want to solidify their commitment to each other without affecting their federal tax filing status.
Although nobody enters into a civil union expecting that one day the relationship will fall apart, unfortunately, this does happen. Because civil unions are less common than marriages, partners may be left with…
Continue Reading Can a Couple in a Civil Union Get Divorced in Illinois?

Illinois parentage law recognizes that relationships between people can be complicated and unpredictable. When there is a question regarding the parentage of a child who is born to unmarried parents, there is a procedure for establishing who is the father of the child.
Although the stereotypical notion of establishing paternity often comes in the form of a mother who needs to obtain child support, many times a man who believes a child is his son or daughter is eager to have a relationship with that child and be actively involved in his or her life. Legally establishing paternity can benefit…
Continue Reading How Can I Prove I Am the Father of My Child?