Compared to many other countries in the world, the United States is fairly young, with rather unique founding principles. Though the U.S. is well known for certain freedoms such as gun ownership, the country also has a reputation for being a good place to live if you want to be a business owner. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were around 30.7 million small businesses owned and operated in the country in 2019. Owning a small business can be extremely fulfilling, especially if it is a family-run business. However, owning a business can also pose some unique …

In the grand scheme of things, social media has not been around for very long, but it has had a tremendous effect on our lives in the time that it has been present. In 1997, the first official social media website, SixDegrees, launched, changing the way humans interact with one another forever. Since then, thousands of social media websites and apps have been created to help people communicate and connect with one another. Today, social media is a normal part of many lives across the globe. According to data compiled by Hootsuite, a social media marketing company, about 70 percent…

In the United States, divorce is not uncommon. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 22 percent of marriages dissolve before they celebrate their fifth anniversary and that number increases by the 20-year mark when an estimated 53 percent of all first marriages have ended. People get divorced for all kinds of reasons, but whatever the reason, the divorce is still likely to be riddled with tension, stress, and emotion. Even if you and your spouse communicated well during your marriage, things will likely be much different during the divorce process. A peaceful divorce is…

There are so many things that you and your spouse must figure out before you can actually settle your divorce. You must determine how you will divide your marital property, who will live where, whether or not either of you are entitled to spousal support and the list goes on. When you have children, that list is even longer because you must also determine how you and your spouse will share parenting time, how parental responsibilities will be allocated, how much child support will be paid each month and where the child will live. With all of that, finally…

For the past couple of decades, the composition of the American family has been changing. Years ago, the “ideal” family was seen as a mother and a father, happily married with two biological children, a boy and a girl, and the family dog. Now, there is more diversity within American households than ever. Many children live in households without one of their biological parents or with their grandparents, without either parent at all. Many families have now also opened their arms and adopted children from many backgrounds. One of the most popular ways people adopt in Illinois is through the…

Ending a marriage is no easy decision, especially when you are a parent. As soon as you have children, your life is no longer about just you and you must also take into consideration how your actions will affect your child. Many parents put off the divorce and stay together for the kids in unhappy marriages in an effort to protect their children from the negative effects of divorce. Studies have shown that it is not the divorce itself that leaves lasting effects on children, but rather, being exposed to their parents’ constant conflict was responsible for causing negative…

Finances play a huge role in any divorce. Most married couples have combined their financial lives in such a way that undoing this financial entanglement is often quite an undertaking. Division of assets is especially complicated when the couple owns complex assets such as a family business, real estate, investments, trust accounts, or stocks. High net worth and complex assets such as these also make it easier for a spouse to underreport assets and income. If you believe that your spouse may try to hide assets or lie about finances during divorce, reach out to an experienced divorce lawyer right…

Any parent would agree that they would never do something to purposefully upset their child. Yet, for many children, divorce can be an upsetting event that can affect them deeply. Many parents are conflicted over whether or not they should get a divorce because of the effect it can have on their children. However, multiple studies have shown that children can adjust relatively easily to divorce as long as they are not subjected to their parent’s arguments and are kept out of the conflict. Still, many parents feel guilty when they decide to get a divorce. Here are a few…

When there is trouble in your marriage, you and your spouse have to work together to try to overcome the issues that you are experiencing. In some situations, both spouses may not be on the same page or willing to cooperate with one another. No matter the situation, making the decision to end the marriage involves tons of difficult and conflicting emotions. This conversation is likely going to be one of the most stressful and heartbreaking conversations you will ever have with your spouse. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind when you break the news…

When you have children with another person, you will forever be connected to that person, whether you like it or not. Divorcing couples who have minor children must figure out some sort of agreement for how they will divide their parenting time and how they will allocate their parental responsibilities. Most parents will opt to agree to co-parenting, meaning you work together with your child’s other parent to raise them. However, co-parenting requires a specific degree of communication and cooperation, which not all couples have. For some high-conflict couples, a parallel parenting agreement is a much better option.…

Parents and caregivers alike can agree that children are expensive. This is why it is generally agreed that both the mother and the father have an obligation to provide financial support for any children they have. When the parents are not married or they are getting a divorce, a child support order can be entered to ensure both parents contribute their fair financial share. Child support is calculated using a formula that incorporates both parents’ income, amount of parenting time, and whether or not they have other child support or spousal maintenance obligations. However, monthly child support obligations do…

For many people, the largest asset they own is their home. Real estate can make for some tricky situations when it comes to the asset division process of divorce. Everything must be divided, including real estate, like your family home. While cutting your home down the middle will not help you out, there are three viable ways you can deal with your marital home during your divorce: keep the home under joint ownership, sell the home or have one spouse own the home in their name only. To Appraise or Not to Appraise? Getting an actual appraisal for your home…

For many couples who are divorcing with children, much of the stress present during the divorce accumulates because of child-related issues. It can sometimes feel like you are fighting tooth and nail to ensure your children are getting what is best for them. The issue is that your spouse also thinks that he knows what is best for the children and most of the time, that idea does not line up entirely with yours. Most parents will have some sort of an argument or disagreement at some point during the process, but when the situation gets too out of hand,…