Posted on January 06, 2022 in Divorce

One of the most damaging parts of divorce is the impact it can have on a family’s finances. Even for two adults without children, splitting a household can cause enormous financial upheaval. While getting divorced does not directly affect things like your credit score or your salary, your financial situation following a divorce is likely to be affected in some surprising ways. Here are four things to watch out for.

Your Car Insurance Rates May Go Up

Just as getting married can indicate stability and lower your car insurance rates, getting divorced indicates a person with a greater risk profile, leading car insurance companies to raise premiums for divorcees. Although the difference is not likely major, factor this in as you plan your post-divorce finances.

Your Credit May Suffer Even if You Make Timely Payments

Whether debt is in your name, your spouse’s name, or both, when it comes time for divorce, creditors will still want their money. As long as a loan was taken out during a marriage and benefited the relationship, it will likely be joint debt and both parties can be given responsibility for paying it off. But beware - if your spouse is supposed to make payments on a joint credit card and does not, your credit score can suffer even if you make your share of the payments on time.

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 Posted on December 30, 2021 in Divorce

Although many divorcing spouses look forward to the finalization of the Illinois divorce process in the hope that they will start a new life and things will be easier, the difficult truth is that for many people, finalizing a divorce is the beginning of challenges – albeit a different set of them. But that does not mean that life after divorce cannot be meaningful and healing. If you are in the final stages of your divorce and are looking to start the near year on a positive note, here are some helpful tips to help you move forward.

Do Not View Your Marriage, Or Yourself, as a Failure

Many divorcees view their marriage as a failure, but there are many things throughout life that do not work out. Rather than beating yourself up, try to understand that divorce happens to many, many people and remember your marriage as one part of a long life.

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 Posted on December 27, 2021 in Divorce

Even as Illinois family law has been updated to reflect the changing and modernizing circumstances many families live in, the law still protects spouses who have stayed out of the workforce to raise children or keep a home. Many couples still choose this path together and, following a divorce, the spouse who gave up employment opportunities to raise children may receive spousal maintenance (alimony) while he or she becomes financially independent.

Although most people do not willingly take advantage of their spouse, some individuals will deliberately remain employed or underemployed as their spouse financially supports them. This can cause financial problems during a marriage, and it can also pose serious difficulties during divorce. If you are considering divorcing your unemployed spouse, here are some important things you should know.

Can a Person Be Ordered to Pay Their Spouse’s Attorney’s Fees?

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 Posted on December 17, 2021 in Divorce

Accidents, slips and falls, or malfunctioning equipment can seriously harm people while they are at work. When people get injured badly enough that they need medical treatment or lose wages, they often pursue workers’ compensation claims or personal injury settlements and sometimes get a significant amount of money from the party responsible for the injury.

You may be surprised to learn that, if such an injury occurs while you are married, any compensation can be considered a marital asset - and therefore subject to division if the courts divide property in a divorce. This seems counterintuitive because there is only one spouse who is injured and therefore in need of compensation; nevertheless, Illinois law generally defines any asset obtained during the marriage, including cash settlements or ongoing payments, as a marital asset.

Disabilities May Be a Factor in the Illinois Property Division Process

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 Posted on December 10, 2021 in Divorce

One of the most difficult issues divorcing couples struggle to agree about is spousal maintenance. Previously known as alimony, spousal maintenance or spousal support is money paid by one spouse to another after an Illinois divorce while the receiving spouse becomes financially self-sufficient. Spousal maintenance may be paid in a lump sum or in monthly payments over a set period. Sometimes, for long marriages, spousal support is ordered to last indefinitely. 

Spouses who are ordered to pay spousal support sometimes feel upset that they are giving money to someone they are not married to anymore. This may be especially true if one spouse is petitioning for spousal support to be a nuisance to their ex, not because they genuinely need the financial assistance. If you believe your former spouse is wrongfully petitioning for spousal maintenance and you want to fight their claim, the information in this blog may be helpful to you.

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 Posted on November 30, 2021 in Divorce

One of the most challenging parts of any divorce is the property division process. Ideally, a couple can work together to create an agreement for splitting their assets and debts equitably. However, sometimes court intervention is required for spouses who cannot negotiate productively or when there are other extenuating circumstances.

One of the circumstances under which a court may get involved in dividing property is when one spouse has engaged in wasting, or “dissipating,” marital property. In this blog, we will discuss what marital asset dissipation is, how it can be proven, and how dissipated assets might be recovered.

What is Marital Asset Dissipation in Illinois?

A spouse can dissipate marital assets in many ways, but all forms of dissipation have one thing in common: Wasting, misusing, or extravagantly spending on things unrelated to the marriage when the relationship is undergoing an irretrievable breakdown. Some of the most common forms of dissipation include:

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 Posted on November 29, 2021 in Divorce

Although it may seem difficult or even impossible, many spouses have been able to work through their differences and successfully negotiate a divorce agreement through mediation or other alternative dispute resolution methods. One important but challenging issue that many couples must address is that of spousal support, also known as alimony or spousal maintenance.

Avoiding the hassle, expense, and conflict of litigating a divorce in court is usually best for everyone - especially if there are children involved. Although negotiating spousal support may be difficult, it is well worth the effort. Here are three tips for helping you begin.

Successful Alimony Negotiations

• Focus on finding a solution - Rather than hashing out old differences, stay task-oriented and work towards an outcome. Try not to make accusations; instead, communicate your feelings and focus on your priorities.

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 Posted on November 18, 2021 in Divorce

Getting divorced involves learning an entirely new vocabulary. Discovery? Allocation? Retainers? Although the amount of new information can seem overwhelming, taking it step-by-step and having a great divorce attorney can help you understand everything you need to know about the divorce process.

But most people who are getting a divorce have never hired an attorney before, so even that can seem daunting. In this blog post, we will explain the basics of how someone can retain an attorney and how attorneys usually get paid.

How Do Lawyers Get Paid in a Divorce Case?

Not everybody has the same needs or budget in their divorce, so hiring an attorney can look a little different for everybody. Many attorneys offer hourly rates, limited scope representation, contingency fee agreements, or flat rate representation. However, for most people, the process of getting the help of an attorney means paying a retainer first.

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 Posted on November 12, 2021 in Divorce

Although some people getting divorced in Illinois want to hire an attorney who will represent them from the moment the divorce begins to the moment the final divorce decree is handed down, this is neither financially nor practically feasible for everyone. If you anticipate a simple divorce, have budgetary restraints, or simply have the desire to handle certain issues yourself, you may have another option: Limited scope representation.

Illinois allows attorneys to limit the scope of their representation to clients if there are reasonable circumstances and the client understands and gives their consent. Attorneys can coach divorcees who wish to represent themselves, prepare evidence, and can even appear in court if necessary - but only if the client seeks that representation as part of their legal services. If you are considering getting divorced in Illinois and doubt that full-scale legal representation is right for you, read on.

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 Posted on October 29, 2021 in Family Law

Child support payments are a crucial part of ensuring children are raised in a way that meets their physical and emotional needs following a divorce. Generally, child support ends once a child turns 18 or graduates high school or college. For some adults, mental and physical disabilities make it impossible for them to live independent lives. In cases like this, child support payments may be extended so the child can maintain a reasonable standard of living, even as an adult.

If you are parenting a disabled child and want to know more about what this might mean for child support payments, this blog may be helpful to you. Keep in mind that every situation is unique and that a qualified Illinois child support attorney is the best person to give you advice tailored to your situation.

Determining Child Support for Disabled Adult Dependants

In Illinois, child support payments are based on both parents’ incomes and the amount of time each parent spends with their child. This allows parents to split the cost of raising a child in a way that is fair to everyone. Illinois has standard tables it uses to calculate child support payments, but judges have leeway to modify payments if they would be unfair or insufficient.

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