Posted on July 13, 2021 in Asset Division

Retirement funds, such as pensions and 401(k) accounts, are often a substantial issue in an Illinois divorce. For a couple who have earned average incomes throughout the duration of their marriage, retirement accounts can make up the majority of their accumulated wealth. As such, spouses are often concerned with the impact of a division of retirement savings as a consequence of their divorce.

In our last post, we discussed the impact of divorce on Social Security benefits. Here, we will examine the way that retirement accounts are handled in a divorce.

401(k) and Contribution Plans 

Unless spouses signed a valid prenuptial agreement stating otherwise, 401(k) plans with contributions during the marriage are considered marital property and may be subject to division. Though contributions from before the marriage may remain non-marital assets, contributions during the marriage belong to the marital estate.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 12, 2021 in Property Division

Everyone knows that when a couple divorces, they split everything they own 50/50. Right? Wrong! Property division in divorce is actually much more complex than just throwing everything into a big pot and then splitting it down the middle.

In this blog, we will address some of the most common types of property that must be divided in a divorce, and how Illinois divorce courts tend to divide property. Keep in mind that Illinois is an “equitable distribution” state, meaning that rather than dividing assets 50/50, assets will be divided fairly according to a number of factors that the court will consider.

Homes and Land

The marital home is often the most valuable asset a couple owns together. Depending on whether the couple has children and one of the spouses wishes to stay in the home, the couple may choose to have one spouse buy out the other spouse’s value in the home, or sell the home and split the proceeds.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 09, 2021 in Divorce

In a high-conflict divorce where you and your spouse are unable to agree on anything, much less who should have custody or parental responsibilities for your child, character witnesses can be a valuable advantage to help you prove that living with you is in your child’s best interests. Here, we will explore the kinds of character witnesses you might use, as well as what a witness does and what you should do if a witness is reluctant to testify.

Types of Witnesses

There are essentially three types of witnesses that might appear in divorce proceedings. An independent expert witness, such as a court-appointed psychologist, testifies about a specific topic but does not work for either spouse. A controlled expert witness likewise testifies about a specific topic, but is retained or paid for by one of the parties.

A lay witness–the most common type of character witness–is not an expert, and ideally is someone who is not biased in your favor. This could be a teacher, a babysitter, a neighbor, or anyone else who has seen interactions between you, your spouse, and your children. A character witness can testify regarding your favorable parenting abilities, or regarding your spouse’s unfavorable abilities. Family members may be seen as biased in your favor, so getting a variety of character witnesses may be more beneficial in supporting your case.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 06, 2021 in Child Custody

If you share a child with your ex, and they are considering moving out of Illinois, you may feel nervous about what this means for the future of your relationship with your child. Fortunately, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act includes provisions limiting how far custodial parents can move with their children without court approval.

When is a Parent in Illinois Allowed to Move with a Child?

If your ex has custodial rights or parental responsibilities for at least half of the time, they are able to ask permission from the court to move and take the child with them.

A parent who lives in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, or Will County can move with a child within Illinois up to 25 miles away from where they lived previously, without receiving court approval. A parent who lives in any other county may move up to 50 miles away. Likewise, a parent who lives near the Illinois border with any other state may move into a different state as long as they remain within 25 miles of their previous location.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 06, 2021 in Divorce

There are many factors to consider during your Illinois divorce, and one that is frequently overlooked is how Social Security benefits are handled. Social Security benefits are more complicated than other retirement assets like a 401(k), because federal law prohibits assigning, dividing, or garnishing Social Security benefits. This means that state courts cannot even consider Social Security benefits in the division of marital property, because dividing and allocating them–even by anticipating a larger future benefit for one spouse and allocating marital property to the other spouse accordingly–would contradict federal law.

However, that does not mean that you are not entitled to your own Social Security benefits according to your former spouse’s benefits. Federal law does allow for certain circumstances in which a divorced wife or husband of an insured person is entitled to Social Security benefits based on their former spouse’s work record.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 29, 2021 in Divorce

Divorce is stressful. This is such a truism it hardly needs to be said. Between splitting up assets, negotiating with your former partner, taking care of any children, and trying to keep a household and career running smoothly, self-care can fall by the wayside.

Ongoing stress is terrible for our mental and physical health, and people will often suffer from illness or chronic pain after a divorce. Anxiety and depression are also common, as is weight gain or loss, substance abuse, and even heart disease. Here are a few things you can do to help improve your health and reduce stress during a divorce.

Exercise

The benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health. Mental health also improves due to better digestion, heart rate, and hormone regulation. You will feel better all around if you can remember to stay active during your divorce–even if you are exhausted.

Get Enough Sleep

Lack of sleep and overwhelming stress can create a devastating one-two punch on your health. A full 7 to 8 hours of sleep is important, especially when your mind and body are trying to recover from stress. Try to create a daily routine for you and your family, and then stick to it. Schedule sleep and treat it like you would an important work appointment–do not miss it or let scheduling conflicts get in the way.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 28, 2021 in Asset Division

Once a couple knows their marriage is over, spouses preparing to divorce in Illinois can become very competitive and hostile. One tactic a spouse might employ in an effort to get revenge, pay less future spousal support, or otherwise get the upper hand in the divorce, is to hide assets and sources of income.

This tactic is more common in high asset divorces, when a couple’s financial picture may be complex and one spouse may manage many or most of the assets, leaving the other spouse in the dark. Finding hidden assets and income that one spouse tries to hide from the other may even require the help of a professional with a special set of skills. Here are several things to keep in mind if you think your spouse may be hiding assets.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 25, 2021 in Property Division

When two people are married, most of the assets they acquire throughout the course of their marriage are considered marital property. During a divorce, a court will determine whether certain assets are considered marital or non-marital.

If an asset is determined not to be marital property, the court has no legal authority to award part of the asset to the non-owner spouse in a divorce. Generally, assets acquired by inheritance, gift, legacy, or descent are not considered marital property in Illinois, but the way an asset is treated after the inheritance may render it marital property.

What is an Inheritance?

Inheritances are monies, properties, or other assets that are given to someone through an estate planning document, like a will, or through intestate succession. If someone inherits an asset while they are married, it is generally considered non-marital property, as long as it is possible to prove that the asset was specifically given to the recipient by the deceased.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 21, 2021 in Child Custody

Even after a divorce, it is important for parents to maintain their relationships with their children. This usually means that there is still contact with the other parent–even if it is hostile in nature. Sometimes, the relationship between former spouses is so hostile that one spouse will attempt to turn a child against the other spouse in an effort to retaliate against them or get revenge.

In addition to being extremely damaging to the psychological well-being of a child, parental alienation is painful and confusing for the parent towards whom the alienating behavior is directed. A previously happy and content child may suddenly become withdrawn or angry and begin repeating ugly language they learned from the alienating parent.

Although Illinois law conspicuously rejects the term “parental alienation syndrome,” due to its lack of specificity, the law instead has a host of procedures and statutes to inhibit what might be considered parental alienation.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 21, 2021 in Divorce

When you are in the middle of a divorce, there can be so many things to manage and negotiate that the custody of a pet may not immediately come to mind. However, if you are like most pet owners, your dog or cat is part of your family, and you care deeply about its well-being. You should be sure to understand your options for ensuring that your pet remains in your life after the divorce.

Illinois Law Regarding Pets in a Divorce

In January of 2018, Illinois law changed to treat pets more like children, giving couples the option to share custody of their pets after a divorce. Prior to this law, pets were considered regular property like a house or a car. This meant they would have to be divided up along with all the other assets and given to one spouse or the other. The spouse who was not awarded ownership of a pet had no legal recourse to do anything and was left to deal with their loss.

Continue Reading ››