Monthly Archives: April 2015

Limiting Child Visitation in Illinois

You obviously want what is best for your child. As a parent, you probably understand that decisions that are made regarding child support, custody, and visitation are not necessarily for your benefit or that of the other parent. Instead, they are made, or at least supposed to be made, with the best interest of the child in mind to the extent that a judicial entity like aContinue reading

Amended Illinois Spousal Maintenance Laws Look to Improve Consistency

Since taking effect on January 1, 2015, new Illinois laws regarding spousal support are already having an impact on divorce proceedings around the state. A few weeks ago, a poston this blog looked at some of the updated provisions, but never really examined what precipitated the changes. Spousal Support Change Was Needed For most of the last three decades, Illinois law had left all decisions regarding alimony, orContinue reading

Structured Settlements in Divorce

In many divorce cases, the division of marital property is a challenging process. Both partners often feel that they have contributed significantly to the couple’s acquired assets and the marriage overall. As such, each partner may have particular needs or desires when the time comes to negotiate how the property will be distributed. For some, once the negotiation has resulted in a workable agreement, the marital assetsContinue reading

Child Support and College Expenses

If you pay child support in Illinois, you are probably looking forward to the day that your child turns 18 or graduates from high school. Most likely, you recognize the need for your support obligation, but once your child is no longer a minor high school student, there certainly other things you could do with the money. Before making any plans for long-term investments orContinue reading

Retained Earnings in Divorce

When a couple decides to divorce, among the more contentious issues is often how assets and property are to be divided. Either spouse’s ownership or investment in a businesscan make property division even more complicated. One of the biggest challenges is determining how much of a company’s value, in general, and, specifically, retained earnings are to be considered marital property, subject to equitable distribution upon divorce.Continue reading

Understanding Temporary Custody Orders

When a relationship ends, especially a marriage, there are a large number of considerations that must be addressed. In the case of divorce, many of these concerns must be handled legally and under the supervision of the court. Division of marital property, spousal support, and other issues between spouses may be difficult enough, but for divorcing parents, making arrangements regarding their children can be extremelyContinue reading

Study Suggests Divorce More Likely When the Wife Gets Sick

The vows are familiar: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long we both shall live. While these promises may represent the true intentions of a couple on their wedding day, new research is suggesting that “in sickness” may be a little more difficult than expected for many. A recent study has found that health-related issues can haveContinue reading

Life Changes and Child Support Order Modification

At any given time in the state of Illinois, nearly half a million child support cases are in effect, supporting more than 510,000 children. Nearly $290 million is collected annually as a result of such orders, and if you have children with your ex-spouse or ex-partner, some of that money supported your child. Those who pay child support in Illinois, generally have a good idea of howContinue reading