On August 15, 2014, Governor Quinn signed into law new spousal maintenance (alimony) rules that drastically change how maintenance (formerly known as alimony) is determined in Illinois. While the new law first becomes effective January 1, 2015, the changes will need to be addressed immediately in pending divorce and post-divorce cases across the state. The…
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When people are in love, they are not usually preoccupied with death; they are focused on living. Second marriage situations, however, present issues that should be discussed and addressed, especially when there are children from a first marriage. Whether the second marriage follows a divorce or the death of a spouse, careful consideration of estate…
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Anyone facing the prospect of divorce with minor children involved should understand the landscape before venturing forth. Unless divorcing parents can work out the details of child custody and visitation together amicably by agreement, child custody litigation is the only way to a resolution. Child custody litigation involves more people than you might realize. Following is the line…
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Most people have known someone who has been through a “nasty divorce”. It may seem like there is no other kind of divorce, but there is. An agreed, uncontested divorce can be accomplished in the right circumstances, with the right parties and the right attorney or attorneys. If you or someone you know is facing…
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Violence is a problem in our society in spite of many years of concerted efforts to stop it. Most of the violence committed in our communities goes unseen. It happens in the home between members of the same family. Child abuse and spousal abuse in the home occur more frequently than the average person knows. Victims…
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A good parent’s worst nightmare might be dying and leaving the children to an absent, neglectful or even abusive parent. The saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink”. The same can be said of some parents. The biology of becoming a parent is easy, but biology does not make…
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One of the primary sources of conflict in marriage is money. Two people who are used to controlling and managing their own spending decisions do not always see eye to eye. It takes some real effort to learn to trust each other and to find the balance and compromise. One spouse may be overly controlling.…
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“For most people who go through divorce, it’s not easy to get along for the sake of the children, because if it were easy, they might not have gotten a divorce in the first place. Yet, I’m convinced that the couples who divorce who make a conscious decision to be amicable partners in co-parenting have…
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Choosing a lawyer for divorce is a significant undertaking. The practice of medicine and the practice of law are two of the three original professions dating back to medieval times (along with divinity). The professional ideals include a high degree of public trust, integrity and learning. It only makes sense that those hallmarks that should be…
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Tax time is a wonderful time of year. You gather up all of your W-2’s and 1099s. Your box of receipts gets dumped out, and you start to sort through what can be deducted and what cannot be deducted. As you start to complete your tax return, you are thankful for the deductions your children…
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