Posted on February 23, 2017 in Divorce

Wading through the divorce process is a different experience for everyone. For some couples, the process can be rocky from start to finish, while it can be generally smooth throughout for others. A great source of tension usually stems from financial issues, which can impact other matters in the divorce, such as childrearing styles and employment circumstances for each spouse. This applies especially to the stay-at-home parent, who has been accustomed to taking care of the home while their spouse earns the income. One major fear can often trigger a domino effect, resulting in multiple anxieties about the present and the future.

Common Anxieties for the Stay-at-Home Parent

Given the amount of energy that must be expended during the divorce journey, it is understandable how adding the stress of issues like parenting arrangements and the division of property can quickly become overwhelming. It is very common for the parent who has been removed from the workforce for some time to feel stretched thin, fearful of their financial future and how they will care for their family, and what the overhaul of their life will look like and feel like when all is said and done. If you are a stay-at-home parent going through a divorce and are experiencing these common anxieties, take a moment to consider the following:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 21, 2017 in Child Support

The subject of your child’s future college expenses and who will be responsible for them following the end of your marriage can be difficult to address, especially in the midst of an impending divorce. Whether you and your spouse discussed the funding of your child’s education early on in your marriage or did not discuss it at all, you may be wondering who will be responsible for paying tuition and other expenses once you are separated.

Who Pays for What?

While preparing for your child’s education may not be at the forefront of your mind during the divorce process, there are certain discussions you can have with your spouse and attorney to ensure your child’s education is secure when the time comes for them to attend college. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act works in favor of your children and their higher education. Revisions to Illinois state family law in 2016 enabled courts to order a parent to pay for the child’s college if the child is no longer living at home but attending school. Before either parent is ordered to contribute a certain amount to college expenses, however, there are multiple factors that the court takes into account:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 16, 2017 in Divorce

If you are an Illinois resident currently in the midst of the divorce process, you may have concerns about recent changes in divorce law that passed in 2016 and how they might affect you and your family once your divorce is final. The good news is that a majority of these changes were put into motion to ease common divorce tensions, with the goal to reduce conflict and simplify the process as a whole. While there will always be some level of conflict where divorce is concerned, revisions to our state’s laws serve to streamline the experience for each party involved.

Here are a few ways recent law changes have changed how couples divorce, but for the better:

1. Revisions to Grounds for Divorce

Spouses seeking divorce were once able to cite grounds for the dissolution of marriage, such as adultery, mental anguish, or impotence, but that is no longer the case. Now the law only allows one ground for divorce, and that is irreconcilable differences. The goal is to reduce conflict that usually results from one party accusing the other of a certain act. For example, previous grounds could include habitual drunkenness - a valid claim, of course, but one that could be heavily disputed and add further fuel to the fire.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 14, 2017 in Divorce

Divorce is different for everyone who experiences it, and the length of time it takes to move through the grieving process can vary greatly from person to person. We all hear a variety of accounts from friends, family members, and co-workers of their personal experiences with divorce, but none of them can ever prepare you for how you feel when the event actually happens for you. Even more unpredictable is how you will end up coping, how long it will take to process the loss, and ultimately, how long it will take to finally heal from the whole ordeal.

Signs You are Moving in the Right Direction

Experts from Psychology Today report that a person’s emotional recovery time depends on a number of factors. The grieving process is not cut and dry, and it does not unfold the same way for everyone. Whether you saw the end of your marriage coming, you were abandoned, or were abused can all affect the length of your recovery time. Whether you share children together, are unable to support yourself financially, or experienced infidelity can also impact how long it takes for you to navigate the loss.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 09, 2017 in Children and Divorce

No matter how hard parents work to reduce the stress, confusion, and hurt their children experience due to divorce, there is simply no easy way to get around the difficulties that surround the process. Divorce is emotionally taxing on everyone involved, but according to staff from the well-revered Mayo Clinic medical research center, there are certain steps you can take as parents to help make your children’s adjustment a little less painful in the long run.

Get Off On the Right Foot

While we know it is impossible for anyone to emerge from divorce completely unscathed, the transition can, at the very least, be less jarring when it is handled with care from the very beginning. This is especially true where children are concerned, as they are still developing and their emotions are heightened during stressful circumstances.

Communication is key: Get off on the right foot with aiding your child through the divorce process by having a sit-down with them. The Mayo Clinic recommends being honest about what is happening, but to avoid upsetting details. Acknowledge the hurt everyone feels about the situation, assure them they are not responsible for the split, and consider speaking with their school guidance counselor for additional support.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 02, 2017 in Family Law

There has long been a stigma surrounding prenuptial agreements. Chances are, you have at some point interacted with someone who decided to pursue a prenup as a part of their marriage plan, or who at least considered one prior to their decision to tie the knot. Whatever your perception of the concept, the reality is that prenuptial agreements - as controversial as they may be - can be useful, efficient tools for couples. This is particularly true for those who have a lot at stake individually, in terms of assets and cherished belongings.

The Purpose Behind the Agreement

Prenuptial agreements are about much more than simply determining who gets what should the marriage ever come to an end. They are about ensuring each party is financially sound and able to care for themselves in the event the marriage ends, once income and money management circumstances have changed. They also serve to establish a foundation of honest, open communication between a couple early on in the union.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 30, 2017 in Divorce

When you are going the process of ending your marriage, you will experience a wide range of emotions. In fact, many mental health professionals sometimes compare the psychological impact of a divorce to that of the death of a loved one, with obvious differences. Too often, however, a divorcing couple will allow anger and bitterness to overshadow all of the other emotions which can result in an even more difficult divorce. It is possible to limit the negative feelings during the process but doing so does require a little bit of work.

Decide in Advance

One of the most important things you can do to prevent anger and bitterness from controlling your divorce is to make a conscious decision to remain positive as much as possible. Commit to your future and that of your children rather than dwelling on the past. If you can keep negativity in check during the divorce process, you will be better equipped to make good decisions along the way. Focus on results and you will be more likely to obtain a favorable outcome.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 27, 2017 in Children and Divorce

Any divorce proceeding can lead to serious emotional and psychological reactions by either spouse. When children are involved, however, the implications of divorce can be even more serious. Many children of divorce often struggle with their new reality and may display behavioral issues, uncontrolled anger, or symptoms of depression or anxiety. Divorced parents may be left wondering if there is anything the court can do in regard to ordering therapy or counseling and splitting the costs of such services. According to the law in Illinois, a family court can order counseling for children of divorce depending on the family’s circumstances.

Custody Evaluations

When a divorcing couple is struggling to reach an agreement regarding parenting arrangements for their child, such decisions are often left to the court. In doing so, the court has the authority to appoint an appropriate professional to conduct an evaluation of the child and each parent. These evaluations may include interviews, tests, and any other accepted methods of determining the child’s needs and his or her best interests. In addition to the court’s appointed professional, a professional retained by either parent may also conduct such an investigation at the court’s direction. The costs for such evaluations—if they are not conducted by an agency of the state—may be divided between the parties in a manner that is fair and equitable.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 23, 2017 in Child Support

While very few people would dispute the appropriateness or the need for child support, there are differing opinions regarding how support payments should be determined. For many years, Illinois law based child support calculations primarily on the income of the supporting parent and the number of children needing support. Beginning next summer, however, the state’s approach will be changing to one that is seen by many as more equitable since it accounts for both parents’ income and the actual cost of raising a child.

Income Shares Child Support Model

Last summer, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed a measure several years in the making. The new law provides a totally updated model for determining a parent’s child support obligation. The method is known as “income shares” and is currently in use in more than three dozen other states. According to the income shares model, the combined income of both parents is used to determine a “basic support amount,” or the amount that the couple would spend on raising their child if they had remained in the same household. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has been tasked with developing a table for determining this amount as a percentage of the parents’ combined income.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 20, 2017 in Divorce

Throughout the country, divorce has become a common enough occurrence that many people speak of the process very casually. The seriousness of divorce, as a result, is frequently underestimated. For example, in the 2011 film Crazy Stupid Love, the main character’s work colleagues laugh and celebrate when they discover that he is "merely" getting a divorce and does not have cancer. Such a casual attitude leads many to believe that when a marriage is experiencing problems, it is easy to ask the court to dissolve the relationship. The reality, however, is rather different.

Irreconcilable Differences

According to Illinois law, a judgment of divorce will only be granted on the grounds that "irreconcilable differences have caused the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage." The law goes on to say that the court must also determine that attempts to save the marriage have failed or that future efforts toward reconciliation would be unreasonable and not in the family’s best interests. But, what does that mean?

Continue Reading ››