Tag Archives: Illinois family lawyer

New Law Ends At-Fault Divorce and Reduces Separation Periods

A few weeks ago, a post on this blog discussed a newly signed law that promises to bring sweeping changes to the application of family law provisions in the state of Illinois. In addition to the major updates regarding parental relocation and child removal, as covered in that post, the new law—originally introduced as Senate Bill 57—also revamps the existing statutes related to divorce. Set to take effectContinue reading

Forensic Accountants and the Divorce Process

In today’s media-driven society, the word “forensic” probably brings to mind episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation or mini-documentaries like The FBI Files. Of course, forensic investigations certainly include the white-coated technicians equipped with blacklights, microscopes, and DNA-analyzing technology, but forensic science encompasses much more than crime scenes and lab work. Forensic scientists are trained to gather, analyze, and categorize pieces of evidence or information related to theContinue reading

Why Some Marriages Cannot Withstand Retirement

In recent years, a new trend known as “gray divorce” has swept through the United States. Gray divorce refers to the phenomenon of couples over the age of 50 opting to get divorced. In 2010, approximately 25 percent of people working through divorces were age 50 or older. In 1990, that demographic represented only 10 percent. Why are so many older couples divorcing? In part, itContinue reading

Addressing Insurance Policies During Your Divorce

When you are working through a divorce, there are many issues you need to consider. Your child custody arrangements, how child support will be handled, whether either you or your spouse will need spousal support following the divorce, and a fair division of your property are all among the issues that need to be worked out before a divorce settlement is issued. Another issue that couples must considerContinue reading

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

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

Study Determines Divorce Rate Same for Straight and Gay Married Couples

A recent study reveals that the divorce or breakup rate for same-sex couples is the same as it is for heterosexual couples. This is true for same-sex couples who are involved in government-sanctioned marriages, civil unions, or long-term committed “marriage-like” relationships. The study was conducted by a research team from Stanford University, utilizing data that was collected for the How Couples Meet and Stay Together successive surveys. These surveys followedContinue reading