Unfortunately, there is no easy way to get around the average cost of divorce. While it may be possible for some spouses who own very few assets and who get along reasonably well to save money by filing for an uncontested divorce, most couples have numerous issues that take time and resources to negotiate. But although you may already know that divorce is likely to be expensive, you may not know exactly which expenses to anticipate. At The Stogsdill Law Firm, we believe that the more information you have about divorce, the better prepared you will be to manage…
Continue Reading What Will I Have to Pay For During My Illinois Divorce? 

The vast majority of parents are committed to discovering their children’s needs and wants on an ongoing basis and most parents spend many sleepless nights trying to help their children solve life’s problems and learn the necessary lessons they need to succeed. Divorce can throw a major wrench into the process of raising a child, however; not only do you have to continue raising your child with your ex, but now there are strict, legally binding guidelines dictating how you will make decisions for your child and where they will spend their time. 
Some parents can manage this well together,…
Continue Reading Can One Parent Get Sole Custody in Illinois? 

While nobody hopes to get divorced, sometimes a divorce is the inevitable outcome of a relationship that seems unfixable. Unfortunately, not every attorney has the skill, knowledge, or characteristics to give their clients the best experience possible. While divorce can take time and some minor delays, communication mishaps, or billing disputes may be inevitable, if you are seeing behavior from your attorney that makes you question whether they are legitimately capable of representing you, you may want to consider seeking someone new. Here are five signs that it may be time to find a new Illinois divorce lawyer. 
They…
Continue Reading Five Signs You Might Want to Hire a New Illinois Divorce Lawyer

By the time an individual or couple decides to get divorced, the relationship has often been over for quite a long time. The decision to get divorced can, therefore, feel like it has a sense of urgency and even couples who are still on good terms usually want to get the process over and done with as soon as possible. If you are a resident of Illinois seeking divorce, you likely have some questions. Is there a waiting period before divorce? And what does the divorce process look like? Read on to find out – then contact a knowledgeable Illinois …
Continue Reading What is the Waiting Period for Divorce in Illinois?

International travel, global business operations, and wide-scale inward and outward migration mean that, more than ever, couples in Illinois are often made up of one American spouse and one foreign-born spouse. While this may be very romantic in the early stages of a relationship, it can introduce major complications during and after divorce. 
If one parent moved to the United States from another country, he or she may want to return to their country of origin following a divorce. Parents who do this rarely want to leave their children behind. Unfortunately, this creates a situation where nobody ends up…
Continue Reading Can My Spouse Move Our Children Overseas After Our Divorce? 

Sometimes divorce is the inevitable end of a relationship and while you may be reconciled to the breakdown of your marriage, certain factors can make getting a divorce more complex. One of these is when a spouse lives in another state or cannot be located. You may be wondering whether it is possible to divorce someone who lives outside of Illinois, or whether you can get divorced at all if you do not know where your spouse is. In this blog, we will answer questions about interstate divorce and divorce by publication. Keep in mind that the only person who…
Continue Reading How Can I Get Divorced If I Live in Illinois and My Spouse Lives in A Different State?

Most parents would agree that child support is important for raising children and ensuring they have what they need. However, not all parents agree on the amount or duration of child support payments set by an Illinois court, which may seem arbitrary and unfair. This is especially true for parents who were never married and with whom the child did not share a specific standard of living before a divorce. 
While child support payments are ostensibly based on both parents’ incomes and the time they spend with the child, courts can make mistakes, parents can lie about their income, and…
Continue Reading Can I Appeal a DuPage County Child Support Order?

Couples getting divorced in Illinois face many obstacles and the idea of self-representation throughout the divorce may seem sensible for many reasons. After all, divorce has a reputation for being expensive and time-consuming, and if you can do the relevant research and problem-solve proactively with your spouse, why not just do the legal legwork yourself? Yet even for the most straightforward-seeming divorces, potential complications abound and representing yourself could end up costing you far more time and money than you expect. Here are three good reasons not to represent yourself in your DuPage County Divorce. 
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Divorce can bring significant changes to your finances. Some of these changes – like living with just one income instead of two – are easy to understand, while others may require professional help to prepare for. Those seeking divorce in Illinois frequently wonder whether spousal support and child support are taxable income or tax-deductible. Whether you are paying or receiving support, it is important to understand how these payments are taxed.

Is Child Support Taxable Income?
Child support is considered “tax neutral,” meaning it is neither taxable income nor tax-deductible. The parent who is receiving child support does not pay…
Continue Reading Do I Have to Pay Taxes on the Alimony and Child Support I Receive?

One of the most challenging behaviors to deal with during an Illinois divorce is a spouse’s irresponsible financial habits. Although financial disagreements are one of the most common reasons for divorce and many couples are dissatisfied with each other’s spending and saving habits, sometimes reckless financial behavior moves beyond carelessness into something that may be considered “dissipation of marital assets.” If you have heard about dissipation and are wondering whether a dissipation claim may help you in your divorce, read on.

What is Dissipation?
Dissipation is common enough in Illinois divorces that the Illinois Supreme Court has given…
Continue Reading Three Facts About Dissipation Claims in Illinois Divorces 

Dividing marital property is often one of the most difficult issues an Illinois couple must resolve in their divorce. Deciding what to do with shared assets is not easy, especially when asset division involves complex or valuable real estate. Real estate can be of great sentimental value to one or both spouses and when a couple fails to successfully negotiate an asset division settlement themselves and a court intervenes, the results may be deeply dissatisfying. If you are getting divorced and wondering whether a judge has the authority to divide real estate or require property to be sold in…
Continue Reading Can I Be Forced To Sell Property in My Illinois Divorce?

When couples who are in love get married, very few of them anticipate how complicated dividing their marital property could eventually be when they get divorced many years later. Valuing, selling, and dividing complex assets in a divorce is rarely easy or convenient, especially when the assets have a high net worth, but divorces involving complex assets are finalized in Illinois every day with the help of experienced marital property attorneys. If you are considering divorce and wondering what will happen to complex assets owned by you and your spouse, read on. 
What is Considered a Complex Asset? 
Many…
Continue Reading How Is the Value of a Complex Asset Determined in an Illinois Divorce?