Married couples with children should take extra care to consider the needs of their children as they go through a divorce. Establishing an effective parenting plan is one of the best things parents can do to minimize stress and foster a positive co-parenting relationship. The parenting plan includes information about vital issues, including the parenting time schedule and the allocation of parental responsibilities.
If you are getting divorced, finding common ground with your ex-spouse regarding parenting issues can be challenging. As you work to reach an agreement about the terms of your parenting plan, keep the following tips in…
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The way we make and spend money has changed dramatically in recent years. Cash transactions are less and less common, and you rarely, if ever, see someone bring out a checkbook. Simultaneously, electronic payment apps like PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, and Zelle are becoming increasingly popular.
The IRS has delayed its plan to tax payments made through e-payment services like PayPal. However, spouses getting divorced may still need to address payments received through these types of apps.
Is Money Received Through a Payment App Considered Income?
For decades, American workers received their weekly paycheck in the form of just that –…
Continue Reading Are Electronic Payments from PayPal or Apple Pay Counted as Marital Property in a Divorce? 

A child custody evaluator is an impartial third party appointed by the court to investigate and report on the best interests of a child relating to custody issues and parenting time. The role of the evaluator is to assess each parent’s parenting ability, any emotional or physical factors that could affect the parents’ ability to properly care for the child, and determine how a proposed parenting arrangement would affect the child.
If you are getting divorced and you have children, it is important to know how a child custody evaluator may play a role in your case.
How Does a…
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If you are a parent of a teenager or pre-teen, you may already be thinking about your child’s future education. College tuition and related costs rise every year in Illinois and throughout the country. However, Illinois is unique in that divorced parents are sometimes court-ordered to contribute to their child’s college education. If you are a divorced parent or soon will be, it is important that you understand Illinois law regarding financial support for college-aged children.
Tuition and College Costs May Be Split Between the Parents
Illinois law states that a court may require unmarried or divorced parents to…
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When divorcing spouses disagree about the terms of their divorce, the divorce is said to be “contested.” Disagreements about asset division, child custody, or spousal support in a contested divorce can often be resolved through mediation or negotiation. If the parties cannot resolve their disagreements out of court, the next step is litigation which may involve depositions, requests for production of documents, and other types of discovery.
A deposition is an opportunity for one spouse (or more likely, the spouse’s attorney) to ask questions of the other spouse under oath in front of a court reporter. The answers are…
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While the overall divorce rate has been declining, one type of divorce is on the rise: so-called “gray divorce.” Divorcing adults over the age of 50 are divorcing at rates significantly greater than other age groups. The reasons for this discrepancy are as varied as the reasons that couples get married in the first place. Some gray divorces are a result of years of pent-up dissatisfaction, whereas others are a result of changing life circumstances, differing goals, infidelity, a lack of intimacy, or countless other reasons.
Regardless of the reasons for divorce, gray divorces are typically more complex than divorce…
Continue Reading How Collaborative Law Can Benefit You During a Gray Divorce

When couples are preparing to marry or have already married, they may consider entering into a marital agreement such as a prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement. While marital agreements can be beneficial to both spouses, there are certain things that must be included in the agreement for it to be enforceable. Otherwise, the agreement may not stand up in a court of law. This blog will explain five reasons a marital agreement may be unenforceable in Illinois. 
The Agreement was Signed Under Duress 
In order for an agreement to be legally binding, it must have been signed voluntarily by…
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Whether it is a startup, franchise, family business or long-term established company, if you own a business, an accurate business valuation is critical for your Illinois divorce. A fair and accurate assessment of the value of the company can help ensure that both parties in the divorce receive equitable settlements and that any debt incurred during the marriage is split fairly between them.
If you or your spouse own a business and you plan to divorce, make sure you understand your rights and work with a divorce lawyer experienced in business ownership matters. Divorce is complicated regardless of the…
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Parents who are unmarried or plan to divorce often have questions about child support, visitation, and the relationship between these two issues. For example, does a parent have to pay child support if he or she does not have visitation rights? Can a parent withhold a child from his or her other parent to enforce unpaid child support? Does the amount of time a parent spends with his or her child affect his or her support obligation?
To make the matter even more confusing, Illinois law changed the language used to describe child custody matters in 2016. What was…
Continue Reading Clearing Up the Confusion About Child Support and Parenting Time in Illinois

  Divorce is bound to be challenging regardless of the couples’ circumstances. However, divorcing spouses in the public eye often have unique challenges to overcome. Contentious divorce cases involving well-known individuals often become fodder for tabloids and news outlets. Even if a couple is only well-known in their local community, they do not want their divorce to become the subject of water cooler gossip at work or the local coffee shop. High-profile parents may also worry about what their children will overhear if their divorce becomes public.
Collaborative divorce is a divorce option that allows spouses to be represented by…
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The vast majority of divorce cases end via a settlement. The spouses’ respective attorneys are able to negotiate an agreement about property division, child custody, or other contested issues that both parties are satisfied with. The agreement is submitted to the Court and the Court issues a final divorce decree.
However, it is possible for a divorce case to end up at trial. Although rare, it is important for divorcing spouses to recognize that this is a possibility – especially if the case is especially contentious.
Steps in an Illinois Divorce Trial
When divorcing spouses cannot reach an agreement about…
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Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and other social media platforms are extremely popular. The majority of Americans have at least one social media account, if not several. For many people, posting on social media is second nature. They share pictures, thoughts, ideas, or opinions without even thinking about it. However, social media use during divorce can be risky. Anything you share online during a divorce has the potential to influence the outcome of your case.
How Facebook and Other Social Media Websites Can Affect Your Divorce
In a contested divorce case, each party is looking for evidence that strengthens their case.
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Many people falsely assume that having significant wealth eliminates most, if not all, of an individual’s problems in life. However, having a high net worth often leads to its own unique set of problems and challenges, especially when a marriage ends in divorce. If you are planning to end your marriage and you or your spouse own high-value assets or have a high income, you need to know how this can influence the divorce process. This blog will discuss some common challenges that people with high net worth face during their divorce.
Getting Divorced When You Have High-Value Assets…
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