Posted on March 21, 2018 in Child Custody

Children of divorce can have difficulty adjusting to living at a parent’s new home during scheduled parenting time. An unfamiliar house or apartment is a physical manifestation of the changes happening in a child’s life after divorce. The parent in the new home must create a familiar and comforting environment for the children. The other parent should try to put the children at ease about the new living environment. Both parents should cooperate to make a smoother transition, for the betterment of their children if not for each others’ sakes.

Preparations

Helping children adjust to a new parental home starts with the other parent at the primary home. Having two homes is an unfamiliar concept that likely makes the children nervous. It is also unavoidable as long as both sides have parenting time. Children can grow more comfortable with the concept and gain a sense of control by helping:

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 Posted on March 19, 2018 in Divorce

Part of the social aspect of getting a divorce is telling other people about the news. For family and close friends, you will have a personalized conversation that considers their emotions and gives them chances to ask questions. For casual acquaintances, a standard speech is appropriate and often easier for you than having an open-ended conversation. To borrow a business networking term, you should develop a divorce elevator speech as an automatic reply to anyone who asks about your divorce.

Purpose of an Elevator Speech

You do not have the time or emotional energy to get into a long conversation about your divorce with everyone you know. Some casual acquaintances will ask you questions about your divorce because they are curious and inquisitive by nature. An elevator speech gets its name because it is short and succinct enough that you can say it to someone while riding in an elevator, which usually takes one-to-two minutes. With an elevator speech, you want to:

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 Posted on March 15, 2018 in Divorce

Divorcing before the age of 30 is uncommon today, partially because people are waiting longer to get married. People who do divorce at a young age face some social stigma. Their friends and family may question whether the couple:

• Rushed into the marriage;
• Quit on the marriage too soon;
• Were too immature to be married;
• Do not take relationships and marriage seriously; or
• Could not sustain the marriage because of personality flaws.

It is unfair to judge people’s marriages and divorces based on their age. Younger couples can enter marriage for mature reasons, and older couples can make mistakes in getting married. Unfortunately, young divorcees may be the ones doubting themselves the most. They should remember the positive aspects of divorcing while they are still young:

1. Chance for Reset: People who wait until they are older to divorce have less time to start over with a new relationship. Young divorcees are at an age when many people have not yet married. There is ample time for them to start a new relationship, get married and have a family.

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 Posted on March 11, 2018 in Child Custody

A parenting plan sets the schedule for when children stay with parents who live apart, but Illinois courts generally presume that separated parents should be able to expand their parenting time when circumstances allow it. That is why some parenting plans include a right of first refusal for each parent. Special circumstances sometimes prevent a parent from being able to watch the children during his or her scheduled parenting time. The right of first refusal requires the unavailable parent to offer the other parent a chance to watch the children before asking a third party. Separating parents may agree to this provision because they know that the children are best off being with one of them. However, there are several variables to a right of first refusal provision that can cause disagreements.

Conditions

It may be impractical for a parent to be required to contact his or her co-parent every time he or she needs childcare. The co-parents must also decide how the transfer of the children would work. A right of first refusal provision includes conditions that clarify when and how the provision is used. This may include:

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 Posted on March 07, 2018 in Children and Divorce

Figuring out child-related issues during a divorce often requires crunching the numbers. Parents must determine:

• How many hours the children will spend with each parent during the week;
• How to divide holidays and special occasions with the children;
• What their total child-related expenses are; and
• What percentage of child support each parent is responsible for.

Divorcing parents often come up with the best solutions to these issues by considering the emotional aspects of parenting. Being a good parent takes more than spending time and money. The quality of the parental relationship is just as important towards a child’s emotional development.

Parenting Time

A parenting agreement is quantitative in that it sets a schedule that divides parenting time. However, there is no formula to determine which parenting time ratio works best or which days each parent should have the children. When proposing a parenting schedule, each parent must consider:

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 Posted on March 02, 2018 in High Asset Divorce

Determining the value of antiques and collectibles during a divorce can be trickier than with other marital properties. You cannot afford to overlook them as they may be some of the most valuable properties of your marriage. It will be too late to receive compensation if you learn that a marital property you gave away with little consideration is worth thousands of dollars. Your former spouse may have known of the item’s true value, taking advantage of your ignorance to receive an unequal share of your marital properties. That is why it is important to use a professional appraiser to give you an accurate value of your marital properties.

Identifying Properties

Marital property in a divorce includes any items that were purchased during your marriage or were maintained with marital money. Your spouse may have been the one to purchase and use the items, but your shared financial resources give you a right to ownership or equal compensation. There are a variety of antiques and collectibles you may possess, including:

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 Posted on January 19, 2018 in Divorce and Finances

Divorce is an expensive process. Beyond what you may give up in the divorce settlement, you are responsible for paying attorney and court fees. You may need an alternative form of financing if your available income cannot pay for your legal fees. Establishing credit or liquidating assets involves its own risks. You must carefully consider the consequences of each form of financing before making your decision.

Bank Loans and Credit Cards

If you have a good credit rating, you can pay your legal fees by taking out a loan or charging it to a credit card. Naturally, you will pay more over time because of interest. However, you must also consider what level of payments you will be able to afford after your divorce. You, and not your spouse, are responsible for the debt you create after you file for divorce.

Personal Loans

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 Posted on January 11, 2018 in Divorce

Dating after divorce would be simpler if there was a set amount of time after which you knew you were ready to start a new relationship. Emotionally moving on from your marriage is a process, not a time period. Divorcees create arbitrary waiting periods because they know they should not immediately jump into a new relationship. However, you cannot predict how long your emotional recovery will take. Entering into a relationship too soon after a divorce can lead to impulsive decisions and unfortunate consequences.

Still Recovering

Divorcees may feel the desire to start dating again before they are emotionally ready for a new relationship. Dating fills a void left by the divorce and distracts you from addressing your underlying emotions. During a new relationship, you can tell that you have not moved past your divorce if:

• You measure your new partner against your former spouse;

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 Posted on November 29, 2017 in Divorce

Learning that you or your partner is infertile can be one of the most difficult challenges a marriage will face. Your feelings may be similar to how you would react to a death: grief, denial, anger, depression and acceptance. In a way, you are mourning the loss of a biological child you and your partner will never share. Amid the grief and seeking alternative means to have children, it is easy to miss signs that your marriage is in trouble. Infertility can bring a couple closer together but can also cause a division that leads to divorce.

Emotional Reaction

Both people in a marriage may feel shock and sadness at the news that one of them is infertile. The infertile spouse often feels guilty and inadequate, especially in the case of women. The other spouse may feel disappointed and uncertain of the future if having children is one of his or her goals in life. Negative emotions can cause couples to react in unhealthy ways, such as:

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 Posted on November 10, 2017 in Property Division

Settling a divorce involving a veteran of the U.S. military can be more complicated than with a typical divorce. Federal and state laws determine how veterans benefits may be divided during the divorce. With the varying types of benefits a veteran can receive, divorcing spouses may have difficulty differentiating between them. Some benefits are treated as marital property, while others are exempt from division. The duration of both the marriage and the veteran spouse’s service can also affect how the benefits are treated. Here is a breakdown of different types of veterans benefits and how they relate to divorce.

Medical Benefits

Spouses and dependents are eligible for coverage under a military veteran’s health care plan, such as TRICARE. When a spouse divorces a veteran, the spouse can remain on the health plan indefinitely, as long as:

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