Divorce is an emotionally charged process. It’s natural to want your children to understand your side of the story, whether that means explaining that you weren’t the one who wanted the divorce, pointing out the other parent’s mistakes, or hoping the kids will align with you. But when parents enlist their children as soldiers in their war against the other parent, the children will be the first casualties.
Let your kids be kids; don’t make them your confidante.
Your children are not your therapists, and they are not emotionally and developmentally equipped to handle adult stressors—these conversations, despite best
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Costly Missteps: Common Mistakes People Make During Divorce
A client recently asked me, “What’s the biggest mistake people make during a divorce?” It was a good question, and one that deserves a thoughtful answer. In truth, there are a few common mistakes people make that derail their chances for a divorce that they’re able to walk away from unscathed (ok, less scathed). These common pitfalls cost people unnecessary time and money and certainly leave them emotionally and financially worse off than they need to be.
Here are the top five:
Letting Emotions Drive the Case
Divorce is emotional, there’s no question. But when people make decisions based on anger,
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Generations of Justice — The Peskind Family Featured on: On the Bar Podcast
At Peskind Law Firm, family isn’t just part of our story — it’s at the heart of everything we do.
In a recent episode of the On the Bar podcast, titled “Generations of Justice,” Steven N. Peskind, Mollie Peskind, and John P. M. Peskind sat down to share the unique experience of working together as a multigenerational legal team. From early memories growing up in a household rooted in the legal profession to navigating high-stakes family law cases side by side, the episode offers an inside look at the values and vision behind Peskind Law.
A Legacy of Leadership and
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Cohabitation vs. Marriage: What the Research Says
As family dynamics continue to evolve, more couples are choosing to live together rather than get married. A recent article from the Institute for Family Studies, titled “Cohabitation is Popular, but It’s Still No Replacement for Marriage”, explores this trend in depth.
The article highlights key findings, including:
- More adults ages 18–44 have cohabited than have ever been married.
- Cohabiting relationships are generally less stable and less likely to transition into marriage.
- Living together before marriage is linked to lower marital satisfaction and higher breakup rates.
- Children born to cohabiting couples face a higher risk of family instability.
At
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Understanding the Complexities of High-Net-Worth Divorce in IL
A Guide to the Unique Challenges of Divorces Involving Significant Assets and Income
With virtually any divorce, things are emotionally difficult. As the old song observes, “Breaking up is hard to do…” But when significant assets or income are involved, things become even more tricky. High-net-worth divorces require careful steering through numerous rocks, from the division of valuable financial holdings to ensuring privacy for the family. Understanding the complexities of the process is crucial to safeguarding your wealth and securing a fair settlement. This summary is based upon Illinois law, and each state has different divorce laws.
Here are some
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Understanding the Complexities of High-Net-Worth Divorce: A Guide to the Unique Challenges in Divorces Involving Significant Assets
The emotional fallout from a breakup makes most divorces difficult. But when significant assets are involved, the process becomes even more complex. High-net-worth divorces require careful steering through numerous rocks, from the division of valuable financial holdings to ensuring the preservation of privacy. For those in these situations, understanding the complexities of the process is crucial to safeguarding your wealth and securing a fair settlement. This summary is based upon Illinois law, and each state has different divorce laws.
Here are some key considerations that distinguish high-net-worth divorces from more typical cases.
Cheater Insurance: One Option if Your Spouse has an Affair
Infidelity is not a product of the twenty-first century. It’s been around forever. But what is relatively new are legal options for betrayed spouses. While Illinois has rejected considerations of fault in divorce, through some advance planning, a wayward spouse can potentially be held accountable for his or her extracurricular activities.
Many affairs are circumstantial and one time events. Other folks just have a problem keeping their pants on. Many victims of straying spouses are uncertain about their spouse’s inclinations. Do I forgive a one time indiscretion? Or will it happen again?
What makes matters more confusing are the guilty
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Navigating a High Conflict Divorce
An Illinois Divorce can be stressful under the best of circumstances. Even if the separation is amicable and you agree on most issues, it’s a time of significant life change and often emotional turmoil. That stress can be significantly aggravated when there’s a lot of conflict. But, there are steps you can take to dial down the stress, minimize conflicts, and keep your case moving forward.
When is a Divorce High-Conflict?
There’s no formal definition for “high-conflict divorce,” but we generally use that term to mean what you’d think: that there are significant points of disagreement in the case. Sometimes,
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A DIVORCE
PLAY TO YOUR AUDIENCE.
There is only one person you will need to impress: the judge. Check all behavior through the lens of, “how will the judge react to me doing this?” If you think your conduct may offend or irritate the judge, don’t do it. Because we can’t always be objective about ourselves, it’s important to hire a lawyer who knows the judge and has good common sense.
CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS.
Don’t send text messages, e-mails and Facebook posts when you are angry–your spouse will use them against you if given an opportunity. Remember: the judge may read
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Hope for High Conflict Parents
The Illinois Supreme Court has made it easier for co-parents suffering high conflict relationships.
With the adoption of Illinois Supreme Court Rule 909, courts can now require parents to use a parenting coordinator to resolve ongoing parenting disagreements.
Rule 909 defines “parenting coordination” as “a child-focused alternative dispute resolution process conducted by a licensed mental health or family law professional, which combines assessment, education, case management, conflict management, dispute resolution, and decision-making functions. Parenting coordination is for co-parents who are unable or unwilling to cooperate in making parenting decisions, communicate effectively with regard to issues involving their children, implementing comply
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WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALIMONY VS. SPOUSAL SUPPORT IN ILLINOIS?
Alimony vs. spousal support—what’s the difference? How can they affect your financial situation after a divorce, and how much support can you expect to pay or receive? In this article, our team at Peskind Law Firm in St. Charles, IL, shares what you need to know to help you through your legal proceedings.
What’s the Difference Between Alimony and Spousal Support?
There is no difference between alimony and spousal support. Most people associate alimony with men supporting women after divorce proceedings, but this term is older and more outdated. Illinois law actually prefers the term “spousal maintenance” instead of spousal
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10 Important Questions to Ask a Divorce Lawyer During a Consultation
Going through a divorce is difficult for you and your family, so you should find a lawyer who can take some weight off your shoulders instead of adding to it. When choosing a divorce attorney, you should find someone you can trust and who has your best interest at heart.
Are you looking for divorce lawyer services in DuPage County? At Peskind Law Firm, we have over 35 years of combined experience in family court. We know what success looks like, so we can help you prepare for a good outcome.
We’ll go over the best questions to ask
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Dividing Cryptocurrency in a Divorce
BITCOINS AND DIVORCE: HOW TO FIND, VALUE, AND DIVIDE THEM IN AN ILLINOIS DIVORCE
Protect your financial future by understanding how Illinois courts have started dividing cryptocurrency in a divorce setting. Bitcoin first emerged in 2009, but it took several years to capture the public’s imagination. Now that cryptocurrency prices have skyrocketed, opposing parties in divorce court have taken notice.
But what is cryptocurrency? How do judges assess the value of a volatile digital asset? And how do courts determine ownership of cryptocurrency? Discover the answers to these increasingly relevant questions below.
What Is Cryptocurrency?
Any form of decentralized, encrypted,
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7 Tips for Co-Parenting During the Holidays
Combine the general stress of the holidays with a recent divorce and custody battle, and you have a recipe for a less-than-jolly season. While the post-divorce holidays may be different, they don’t have to be stressful. No matter what you and your former spouse disagree on, you are likely both in agreement that you want a happy, low-stress holiday for your children.
If you’ve been searching for a guide that explains how to co-parent during the holidays, this article is for you. Our family law attorneys have outlined seven tips for co-parenting during the holiday season that will, hopefully, make
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How to Effectively Navigate Holidays After a Divorce
The “most wonderful time of year” for recently divorced parents can seem like the most stressful time of year. Navigating a multitude of family changes, complex custody schedules, and confusing emotions, the holiday season can be downright dreaded for some recent divorcees. While navigating this time of year can feel overwhelming, remember that you are not alone, as many parents have been in your shoes. Our family law attorneys at Peskind Law Firm have written this article to provide some tips to effectively navigate the holidays after a divorce, like co-parenting and creating a holiday custody schedule that works for
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Issues Involving the Family Business in Illinois Divorce
Divorce and the Family Business
In any divorce case, property needs to be: 1. identified, 2. classified 3. valued, and 4. divided. Identification of property is the act of discovering what’s there. Classification involves determining whether the identified property is marital property to be divided or non-marital property of one of the spouses. The valuation phase puts a number on the property based on its fair market value. Finally, division involves allocating the property equitably. Sometimes the property itself is divided, and other times there are offsets and buyouts arranged.
This formula is fairly straightforward with most assets such as
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