Many people buy real estate properties and rent them out to individuals or businesses for profit. Owning rental properties can provide consistent income during a marriage, however, these same properties can cause significant legal and financial headaches during divorce. 
If you own rental properties and you are ending your marriage, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities regarding the properties themselves as well as the income generated by the properties.
Marital Versus Non-Marital Property
Assets acquired by a spouse during the marriage are generally considered marital property jointly owned by both spouses. Property that is acquired before…
Continue Reading What Happens to Our Rental Properties if We Get Divorced?

When a married couple finds themselves frequently arguing, facing the repercussions of an affair, or simply falling out of love, they may decide to try a trial separation. The hope is that by spending some time apart, the couple will be in a better position to decide what to do next. 
Divorce is a huge decision and not one that should be taken lightly. By living separately temporarily, the spouses may have the space they need to figure out whether divorce is the right step.
When it comes to trial separations, results vary. Some separations end with both parties…
Continue Reading Considering a Trial Separation? Know the Potential Risks

Illinois Courts presume that it is ideal for a child to have both of his or her parents involved in his or her life. However, this is a rebuttable assumption. Ultimately, the Courts determine all child-related decisions based on what is in the child’s best interests. If there is evidence that a parent’s involvement in a child’s life is harmful or dangerous, the Court may implement parenting time restrictions. Supervised parenting time or supervised visitation is one of the most common types of parenting time restrictions but it is just one of several restrictions the Court may enforce.
Conditions and…
Continue Reading Supervised Visitation and Other Parenting Time Restrictions in Illinois

According to a recent report, nearly 75,000 individuals in Illinois suffer from Opioid Use Disorder. Drug addiction involving opioids like oxycodone, morphine, heroin, and fentanyl can absolutely devastate a person’s life. These substances are so powerful that they often consume an individual’s entire world, leading to financial instability, criminal activity, and the breakdown of the family unit.
If you are divorcing a spouse with opioid addiction, you are not alone. Many individuals in Illinois find themselves in this difficult situation. The person you are divorcing may bear little resemblance to the person you married. If your spouse is like many…
Continue Reading Divorcing a Spouse with an Opioid Addiction 

Many people have heard of divorce mediation, but few understand exactly what it entails. If you are planning to end your marriage, you may be interested in ways you can reduce conflict and increase cooperation during the divorce process. Divorcing spouses who can reach an agreement about the allocation of parental responsibilities, division of marital property and debt, and other important matters are typically more satisfied with the outcome of their divorce than those who go to Court and let a Judge make decisions for them. Resolving divorce issues through mediation or lawyer-assisted negotiation is also much less expensive than…
Continue Reading How Does a Mediator Assist a Divorcing Couple? 

Getting divorced is always a difficult process, but it can be even more complicated when there are high levels of wealth involved. If you are going through a high net worth divorce, there are some special considerations you need to take into account in order to protect your interests.
Hire an Experienced Attorney
When either spouse has a high net worth, you need to make sure you have an experienced attorney on your side who knows how to navigate these kinds of cases. The wrong lawyer could end up costing you substantial money, so you need to do your…
Continue Reading 5 Steps for Individuals Undergoing a High Net Worth Divorce

Divorce is not exactly known for bringing out the best in people. Yet despite conflict being common during divorce, your spouse should not be subjecting you to behavior that makes you afraid of him or her. Unfortunately, some spouses attempt to scare, coerce, or intimidate their partners during divorce out of a desire for revenge, to get the upper hand in divorce negotiations, or simply to be a jerk. 
This is not normal behavior, and you do not have to tolerate it. If your spouse is stalking or harassing you, your children, or any other member of your family,…
Continue Reading Is Your Spouse Stalking You During Divorce? Get Help Right Away

Millennials in America are old enough, big enough, and diverse enough to have become the most closely studied generation in the world. Larger than the Baby Boomers and more ethnically diverse than any other generation before them, Millennials make a fascinating case study. Closely tracked by almost every measure, we now have excellent statistics on the behaviors of Millennials in every major aspect of life – how they save, how they spend, what they wear, and, of course, how frequently they get married and divorced. 
People who are reluctant to get married often cite the most famous divorce statistic…
Continue Reading Are Millennials Less Likely to Get Divorced than Previous Generations? 

Child support payments help single and divorced parents cover child-related expenses. During these challenging times, financial assistance through child support is more important than ever. However, for various reasons, some parents stop paying child support. In some cases, a parent loses his or her job and can no longer afford support payments. Other parents are simply irresponsible or selfish and intentionally choose to ignore this important responsibility.
Whatever the cause, non-payment of child support is not taken lightly by Illinois Courts.
What to Do When a Parent Cannot or Will Not Pay Child Support
If you are an obligor, or…
Continue Reading Non-Payment of Child Support: Penalties and Options in Illinois