Posted on July 24, 2020 in Paternity

When it comes to fathers’ rights, paternity is the building block upon which all other parenting decisions are made with regards to child custody. Proving that you are or are not the father of the child can make a world of painful difference, be it emotional when you realize you may no longer be entitled to parenting time or financial when a court rules that you must pay child support for a child being raised by another man. Depending on your situation, you might want to consider legal action.   

What to Do if the Divorce Proceedings Uncover Paternity Issues

If somehow during your divorce, your wife says the child you have cared for during the marriage over the last several years — the same one you cradled to bed as a baby, took to the park as a toddler, and brought to the movies as a schoolchild — is not actually yours, you will need to make the proper legal arrangements and begin developing a winning strategy to protect your rights as a father. In particular, consider the following:

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 Posted on July 23, 2020 in Divorce

Divorce is labeled as one of the most difficult life experiences one can go through. Some even compare the emotions of divorce to those that come from losing a loved one to death. A scientific journal entitled Psychological Science published a study about which personality trait best enables people to successfully survive a divorce. According to the study, the trait that makes people most resilient after a divorce is referred to as “self-compassion.” Whether or not this trait comes naturally to you, there are a few ways that you can practice self-compassion when it comes to your divorce. 

Taking Time to Heal

Self-compassion is exactly what it sounds like: being good to yourself. However, this does not mean materialistically treating yourself. Instead, self-compassion has more to do with your philosophy and approach toward daily life, especially after the divorce. Here are ways to build this self-compassion and allow yourself to bounce back from your divorce:

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 Posted on July 23, 2020 in Post-Judgment Modification & Enforcement

With U.S. unemployment numbers reaching historic highs over the last several months, many Illinois residents are finding themselves incapable of paying their child support and spousal support. Unfortunately, despite these extenuating circumstances and even if you are unemployed, you are still required to make these payments. Here are the consequences of failure to pay and what you can do if you know you will be unable to pay your spousal maintenance or child support by their due date.

What Happens If You Do Not Pay Child Support or Spousal Support?

If you neglect to pay the child support or spousal maintenance payments ordered by the court in your divorce decree, any or all of the following could happen:

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 Posted on July 23, 2020 in Asset Division

If you are not paying close attention to you and your spouse’s finances leading up to your divorce, during your divorce, and after your divorce, you might overlook hidden assets. It is important to keep an eye on your finances to be sure that you are receiving a fair and equitable divorce settlement. Never is this truer than during a complex divorce or a high-asset divorce. In other words, the more property and assets you have as a couple, the greater the likelihood that one or both of you might be hiding these assets. In order to be vigilant about potential hidden assets in your divorce, you need to be aware of some of the most common ways spouses can attempt to hide assets. 

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 Posted on July 07, 2020 in Finances and Divorce

The Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts determined that nearly a fourth of all marriages end in divorce due to financial issues — that represents the third most common cause of divorce. With an economic recession upon us and no certain end in sight, the money problems that many married couples usually face are bound to be further exacerbated. Luckily, there are various ways that one can keep their financial concerns from becoming an issue in their marriage.

Open Communication from the Start

Whether it be done before the marriage, by creating a prenuptial agreement, or early in the marriage, by being upfront and honest about financial concerns, open communication can go a long way toward keeping marital finances in check. Couples should avoid making the following mistakes in order to keep this communication present:

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 Posted on June 30, 2020 in Divorce

While the major story with regards to divorce statistics in recent years is the fact that in most age segments, especially the Millennial Generation, divorce rates are on the decline (which should not be that much of a surprise given that marriage rates are also on the decline for this age group). But possibly an even more interesting and multifaceted development is the huge spike in gray divorces, or divorces for those over the age of 50, many of which can be very complex divorces due to the large variety and amounts of assets, properties, and debts amassed through the years. Here are some of the reasons for the increase in gray divorces.

5 Primary Reasons for the Increase in Gray Divorces

Over the last two decades, there have been twice as many gray divorces as there were in the past. This doubling of gray divorce rates suggests a trend. Here are some of the most common reasons that so many people over the age of 50 are getting divorced:

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 Posted on June 26, 2020 in Child Custody

After your divorce, if certain circumstances change with regards to your co-parent, you might want to consider the modification of child custody orders. However, doing something like petitioning for sole custody of your children or significantly altering parenting time, child visitation rights, allocation of parental responsibilities, or parenting plans can often be a contentious and complex legal issue. You need to be sure you have a strong case to request such modifications. Below are some signs it might be time for you to request modifications of child custody orders or other orders pertinent to parenting.

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 Posted on June 22, 2020 in Child Custody

With the average divorce rates in the nation for first-time marriages hovering near 40 percent and many states’ overall divorce rates approaching 20 percent, it is difficult to believe that some states like Illinois have consistently reported single-digit divorce rates. For 2018 alone, the U.S. Census reported that Illinois had a divorce rate of less than 7 percent. So why does Illinois have one of the top five lowest divorce rates in the nation? The answer might surprise you.

6 Reasons Illinois Has Low Divorce Rates

As with most complicated cases of this kind, there is not one single definitive cause; the reasons behind the low divorce rates in Illinois are complex and numerous. Among the most notable bases for these low divorce rates are:

1. Safer Environments—Relative to other states in the nation, Illinois is actually quite safe. Most statistics suggest a strong correlation between a lack of safety and divorce. If you are not fearful of your safety every day, you will probably be more content to stay married.

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 Posted on June 19, 2020 in Alimony/Spousal Support

If you have kids from a prior marriage, then you know that the divorce proceedings are hardly the last time you will hear from your former spouse. There are all sorts of things that you two must continue to work through, especially if your children are under the age of 18, including child support, parenting time, parental responsibilities, spousal support, and much more. But how will this change if you decide to remarry? Will your new spouse be responsible for any of the parental responsibilities or child support? How will spousal support change? While at one time there was a clear-cut answer to all of these questions, in recent years, there is much more gray area when making some of these determinations in Illinois. The following is a look at how remarriage can change things after your divorce.

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 Posted on June 17, 2020 in Divorce

Moving forward with a divorce is not always the most obvious or easiest decision to make. For instance, after careful deliberation, you might find that the most convincing reason to stay together is “for the sake of the kids.” Statistics have shown that in many cases, remaining married can do more harm than good, especially if you are in a loveless or volatile marriage. However, you and your spouse may not feel strongly enough about your marital problems to go through with a divorce right now. If that is the case, you might want to consider the timing of your divorce with respect to your children’s ages and their development.

Coping at Different Ages

The truth is, there is probably never a “good time” for your children to deal with divorce. Very few if any children come out of divorce entirely unscathed. It can take its toll, and depending on the children’s ages, among other things, it might be more damaging at certain stages of their lives. Here are some observations about how kids tend to cope with divorce at different ages:

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