Alimony can be one of the most frustrating issues to deal with in a divorce. Not only are both parties generally unhappy by the payments themselves (the payer usually feels they are too much, while the recipient usually argues they are insufficient), but the payments often go on long after a marriage has ended. Understandably, former spouses are often very sensitive to things that could influence or terminate the payments. 
Whether you are making or receiving alimony payments in Illinois, it is important to understand the circumstances that could trigger a modification or halt in payments. Knowing the…
Continue Reading Does Remarriage Stop Alimony Payments in Illinois?

Child support is one of the issues Illinois parents most frequently disagree about after their divorce. Even if you were never married to your child’s other parent, child support is an issue that is likely to come up repeatedly until your child reaches legal adulthood–and, if they attend college, perhaps even after that. 
If you are receiving child support payments from your child’s other parent and the payments stop, even for a short time, you may be unable to provide for your child. Rather than trying to resolve the problem yourself, it is recommended that you get help from an…
Continue Reading How Can I Recover Unpaid Child Support in Illinois? 

Mediation as a means of resolving important issues in a divorce is an increasingly popular option. Indeed, judges these days often order divorcing couples to attempt to resolve their issues with the help of a mediator before allowing a case to proceed to litigation. In the vast majority of cases, a couple committed to resolving their divorce peacefully can resolve all of their issues in mediation, reach a satisfactory divorce settlement and move forward with their lives. 
However, despite being an inherently less adversarial process than a litigated divorce, mediation is not without its risks. One risk is that sometimes…
Continue Reading Do I Still Need an Attorney if We Divorce Using a Mediator? 

While the aging process is never easy for the person going through it, watching someone you love as they age can be just as difficult. This is especially true when a parent’s mental or physical health begins to decline rapidly but the parent is resisting the help they need. An elderly person’s situation may become dire before family members realize something is really wrong. In cases like this, even if your loved one has a solid estate plan and powers of attorney in place, you may need something more: legal guardianship. If you live in Illinois and any of…
Continue Reading When is it Time to Appoint a Guardian for an Aging Parent? 

Parents of minor children who are getting divorced in Illinois (as well as parents who were never married but who share a minor child) will suddenly find that their parenting abilities and habits are under a magnifying glass. Things that seemed fairly mundane before, such as spending time with the children, making important decisions or deciding to move for a new job, are now under tight restrictions detailed at great length in a legally-binding parenting agreement. 
To make sure that you give your children the best chance of success after a divorce, and to ensure you do not run afoul…
Continue Reading What is the Difference Between “Parental Responsibilities” and “Parenting Time” in Illinois? 

Most Illinois couples start their marriage with high hopes for a lifetime of love and happiness. Unfortunately, certain characteristics and behaviors often do not come out until spouses are married and comfortable letting their guard down. This makes certain personality disorders very hard to detect before marriage and devastating to endure once they begin. 
Borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder and psychopathy affect a relatively small percentage of the population yet are common enough that extensive research has been done about how these personality disorders affect the ability to form and sustain healthy relationships. If you are…
Continue Reading Four Tips for Protecting Yourself During Divorce When Your Spouse Has a Personality Disorder 

For most of American legal history, mothers held a decided upper hand in a divorce regarding child custody arrangements. According to the “tender years” legal theory, young children needed their mothers more than their fathers. Millions of fathers lost out on crucial years with their children, making it hard to ever recover a fully developed relationship when the children became older.
Today, Illinois family law takes care not to favor one parent over the other–in theory, at least. Although judges are charged with applying the law regardless of their personal beliefs, personal values and biases can still impact a judge’s…
Continue Reading Do Fathers Face Bias in Illinois Divorce Courts? 

Spouses in Illinois often get divorced because abuse or neglect exists in the marriage. Sometimes, such behavior is directed towards a couple’s children even before the couple decides to separate. Other times, fears of child abuse may suddenly arise after a child comes back from spending parenting time with their other parent and something seems terribly wrong. Regardless of how the issue arose, it is essential to take your hunches about child abuse or neglect seriously. If you are in this situation and wondering whether the situation may justify a parenting agreement modification, read on. 
Do I Need to…
Continue Reading What Should I Do if I Believe My Ex is Abusing Our Children After Our Illinois Divorce? 

If you or your future spouse own a business, you know the hard work and dedication it takes to be an owner. As you are approaching your marriage, you may have questions about the impact that getting married  may have on your business. To protect your business’ assets and clearly and legally establish what is and is not marital property, you and your spouse may choose to sign a prenuptial agreement. No one wants to think about divorce before they are even married, but having a prenuptial agreement in place, especially when a business is involved, can provide peace…
Continue Reading Can a Prenuptial Agreement Protect My Business in Illinois?