Posted on August 19, 2020 in Legal Separation

Couples who are considering getting a divorce have another option besides permanently dissolving their marriages. For some couples, a divorce is necessary and in their best interests, but for others, a legal separation may be a better solution. Legal separation shares some similarities with divorce, but it has certain differences, as well as some unique benefits.

Legal Separation Basics

In legal separation cases, a couple who is no longer living together has the option to make arrangements for property division and parental responsibilities without actually filing for divorce. The couple will remain legally married, and thus cannot remarry until a formal divorce has been finalized; however, each spouse will be granted certain rights, protections, and privileges when it comes to debts, assets, and children. Additionally, maintenance and child support concerns are typically discussed during legal separation proceedings. Couples may choose to divide marital property during the proceedings, but they can also delay these negotiations until a formal divorce is filed.

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 Posted on August 14, 2020 in Child Custody

There are a wide variety of reasons why you and your child’s other parent may not live in the same home. Following your break-up or divorce, you and the other parent will need to develop a cooperative parenting plan that outlines each of your responsibilities regarding your child. As part of your plan, you will also need to include direction over the time that each of you will get to spend with your child. Once known as visitation, the law in Illinois now refers to this as parenting time and recognizes the importance of quality parenting time in helping to foster a strong relationship between the child and both parents.

Get It in Writing and Get It Approved

If you are or were married to the other parent, Illinois law mandates that your divorce agreement will need to account for your child. The court will not enter a finalized divorce judgment until there is an approved parenting plan in place or, if necessary, an order for the allocation of parental responsibilities has been issued.

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 Posted on August 07, 2020 in Division of Property

If you are facing the possibility of a divorce, you and your spouse will need to address a number of important considerations along the way. For example, one or both of you will likely need to find someplace to live. If the two of you have children together, a parenting plan will need to be developed that includes arrangements for the allocation of parental responsibilities and each parent’s parenting time. Simply adjusting to everyday life as a single person is likely to present challenges in and of itself. However, many of the most difficult concerns in any divorce tend to focus on a couple’s finances, including how their marital property will be split and whether either spouse should expect spousal support payments.

Property Division and Maintenance Considerations

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 Posted on July 31, 2020 in Divorce

Divorce is an extremely emotional process that will affect almost every aspect of your life. The financial impact of divorce can leave some recently divorced individuals unsure of how to proceed. Getting a divorce is expensive and you may find that you have a much tighter budget afterward as well as additional ongoing costs, such as spousal maintenance or child support. When going through a divorce, it is crucial to take important steps that will protect your finances and help you start off your new life on the right foot.

Document All Marital Property

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 Posted on July 27, 2020 in Divorce

Recently, English actress Danniella Westbrook and former husband Kevin Jenkins finally got a divorce after living apart for six years. Westbrook took to Twitter on Jenkins’ birthday to suggest that the perfect present would be to get a divorce since the pair had been separated for five years.

Although it is true that some people wait years before making a divorce final, most people want the entire process over with as soon as possible. After all, divorce can be messy and expensive, so few want it to drag on unnecessarily. Luckily, there are a few steps that you can take to shorten the length of your divorce proceedings.

Illinois’ Waiting Period

The waiting period to get a divorce in Illinois is six months, meaning that once you file your paperwork with the court, you typically have to wait a minimum of six months before the divorce is final. When Illinois allowed for grounds of fault, that waiting period was extended to two years, unless the two parties agreed to waive it and lived separate and apart for two years. However, now that Illinois solely recognizes no-fault divorce, there is only a six-month waiting period.

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 Posted on July 15, 2020 in Divorce

Dividing the marital home is a large part of many divorces and this is an extremely complex process. Couples typically have three choices when dividing the home—they can continue to be co-owners, one spouse may solely keep the home, or the couple can sell the home and divide the proceeds fairly. Regardless of the option the couple chooses, or a judge decides during property division hearings, it is important to have a professional appraisal performed on the home so everyone is aware of its current market value.

Reasons to Get an Appraisal

You may think you can estimate how much your home is worth but that number may not be accurate. Having a professional appraisal done on your home will provide you with a concrete number you can use when dividing or selling your house. This will also help avoid disputes if you and your spouse cannot agree on the value. If a dispute does arise about the value of the home, a family law judge may order you to have the home appraised anyway. Already having an appraisal in hand can help the divorce process move quicker. The value of homes changes regularly, depending on market conditions and the condition of the overall property. So, unless you have had it appraised very recently, your home’s value may have changed since your last appraisal.

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 Posted on July 07, 2020 in Divorce

If you are getting a divorce, you must make decisions based on reliable information. Unfortunately, there are many myths surrounding divorce in Illinois and the various issues people face during the process, such as child custody, visitation, and the division of marital assets. When going through the divorce process, recognize the common divorce myths that you may hear and understand the truth behind them.

You Must Prove Fault in a Divorce

When first considering divorce, you may think that you have to prove your spouse is at fault for the breakdown of the marriage. Oftentimes, the ending of the marriage is not anyone’s fault, people simply fall out of love or want to go in different directions. Fortunately, the only type of divorce you can file in Illinois is known as a no-fault divorce, which means you only have to state that the marital relationship has broken down and there is no chance of reconciliation. So, even if neither you nor your spouse was at fault for the divorce, you can still file to legally end your marriage.

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 Posted on June 30, 2020 in Child Custody

There are more than 200 classified forms of mental illness, many of which do not affect your capabilities as a parent. However, you may be concerned that a diagnosis will affect your child custody case when going through a divorce. Generally speaking, suffering from mental health issues is not enough for you to lose your parental responsibilities in Illinois. However, how you treat and manage your mental illness can have an impact on the outcome of the legal proceedings. That is why it is critical to seek the legal guidance of a knowledgeable divorce attorney who can help protect your parental rights.

Factors Determining Child Custody in Illinois

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 Posted on June 26, 2020 in Divorce

Divorce can be an emotional process, and it also involves a wide variety of legal issues that can be difficult to understand. Both of these factors can cause people to make mistakes that may not only result in unfavorable decisions, but they can also make the divorce process more expensive. If you are going through a divorce, avoiding the following mistakes is crucial in order to protect your financial interests and future.

Fighting Unnecessarily

The stress of separating from your partner, when combined with the anger, sadness, or resentment you may be feeling, can result in fights that will not help your case. For example, you may argue about certain marital property based on a desire to win arguments with your spouse rather than out of a real need to keep these assets. Doing this can draw out the divorce process unnecessarily, resulting in higher costs that may leave you in a more difficult financial position following your divorce. While you may have to fight for what is rightfully yours, you should be sure to understand when these types of disputes will be necessary, and when they will be financially beneficial.

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 Posted on June 20, 2020 in Premarital Agreement

Recently, Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from her husband, Brandon Blackstock, after nearly seven years of marriage. Clarkson is worth an estimated $45 million and is stating that she wants her prenuptial agreement enforced. Reportedly, the prenup outlines an arrangement for legal and physical joint custody of their children, and Clarkson is asking the court to terminate Blackstock’s right to ask for spousal support. The case was filed in a Los Angeles court, but would the court approve her requests if she filed in Illinois? How can you ensure that your premarital agreement is enforced in the Prairie State?

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