Monthly Archives: April 2016

Uncontested Divorce Can Set the Tone for the Future

Late last summer, a Canadian couple posted a picture to Facebook that quickly garnered international attention. The photo was a “selfie” of the smiling duo standing outside the Calgary Courts Centre, with a caption that stated they had just filed for divorce. Within days, the post had been shared more than 30,000 times, and countless more since. It also triggered a trend which was quickly dubbed—inContinue reading

Identifying Marital Property for Division in Divorce

For many divorcing couples, dividing marital property can be one of the most difficult considerations of the entire process. In some cases, it can create even more bitterness and disagreement than determining arrangements for a couple’s children. In child-related matters, it can be easier to compromise based on the understanding that you and your spouse are doing what is best for your child. When it comes toContinue reading

Your Child’s Rights to Support for College Expenses

With high school graduation season right around the corner, many students and their families will soon be faced with the challenges of paying for college. The rising costs of a college education have been making headlines for years now, with the average tuition more than 15 times what is was just 35 years ago. A quality education, however, is no less important, and, in fact,Continue reading

Spousal Maintenance Is Not Guaranteed in Divorce

In previous generations, marital and family relationships looked much different in many ways compared to those today. Many, if not most, relied on a single income—usually the husband’s—while the wife maintained the marital home and cared for the couple’s children. Divorce, although significantly less common than in today’s world, tended to leave one spouse—usually the wife—without the ability to provide for her own financial needs. SpousalContinue reading

Arranging Parental Responsibilities in Illinois

Entering the post-divorce world as a single parent can be overwhelming, especially in wake of the emotional toll brought on by the separation. One of the most important tasks you will face as a newly single parent is handling the allocation of parental responsibilities. This is a phrase that the law in Illinois began using as of January 1, 2016 to refer to arrangements that areContinue reading

Proposed Bill Would Make Information More Accessible for Adoptees

Each year in the United States, thousands of children are adopted by parents who offer them a loving home and a caring environment. Many of these children, however, are forced to go through life with very little information about their biological parents, which can create significant challenges as they get older. Over the last several years, efforts around the country, and in Illinois in particular, have attemptedContinue reading

Do We Need to Be Separated Before We Can Divorce?

Many couples, especially young couples, may not familiar with the various stages of the divorce process, at least as far as the law is concerned. You are probably aware with how such things usually occur from a practical standpoint, just by knowing people who have experienced them. A couple decides they can no longer stay together, one spouse moves out, and over time, they decide to proceedContinue reading

Educational Expenses Begin Before Enrollment in College

Throughout the current presidential election campaign, at least one candidate has prominently discussed making a government-funded college education available to each and every citizen in the country. While the importance of a solid education cannot be overstated, the continually rising costs of college are of tremendous concern to most American families. Whether or not the next president will actually be able to bring such aContinue reading