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Recent Blog Posts
Which Parent Pays for College Expenses After an Illinois Divorce?
If you are currently divorced or soon will be, you probably have questions about the financial implications of your divorce. One issue that many divorced parents are concerned about is their child’s college expenses. The average tuition for an Illinois public college is just under $5,500 a year. For out of state schools, tuition can be upwards of $20,000 a year. The average cost for a private college education in Illinois is almost $30,000 a year. Understandably, most parents experience “sticker shock” when they realize how expensive their child’s college education will likely be. They may also wonder how this cost will be divided between them and their child’s other parent.
Allocation of College Tuition for Unmarried and Divorced Parents
As with many other child-related matters, divorced or unmarried parents in Illinois have the opportunity to determine their own arrangements for financing their child’s college education. If parents cannot reach an agreement, the court may intervene. Parents’ financial responsibility for their child after he or she has turned 18 and graduated high school is referred to as “non-minor support.” Typically, parents are only responsible for non-minor support during the child’s undergraduate degree.
What Is a Mediator’s Role During Family Law Mediation in Illinois?
Divorce can sometimes make individuals much more stubborn and argumentative than they would normally be. If you are considering divorce, you may have concerns about how you and your spouse will reach an agreement about how to divide your property, share custody of your children, or how to handle other divorce issues. Family law mediation is a process during which a divorcing couple meets with a mediator to discuss unresolved divorce issues. If you are thinking about mediation, you may have many questions about what the process entails or how the mediator will actually help.
A Mediator Helps Facilitate Productive Conversation
Mediators receive special training in conflict resolution and family law. They know how to help couples discuss issues without getting caught up in arguments, irrelevant details, or off-topic conversations. The purpose of a mediator is not to tell you how to handle your divorce or to favor one spouse over the other. The mediator will simply guide the conversation, help ensure that both spouses are given the opportunity to speak and facilitate productive negotiations. He or she may point out common ground and help the spouses find solutions that they can both agree to. If the conversation begins to get heated, the mediator may suggest a quick break or change of subject until the spouses cool down and are able to discuss the issues with a clear head. Many couples find that mediation allows them to reach a resolution about the allocation of parental responsibilities, parenting time, division of assets and debts, and other divorce concerns without needing to go to trial.
Will My Remarriage Affect The Amount I Receive in Child Support or Spousal Maintenance?
Most people assume that once a divorce has been finalized, the spouses’ actions can no longer influence the terms of the divorce. However, this is not the case when it comes to issues such as child support and spousal support. If you plan to remarry, you should know that your remarriage could influence the terms of your divorce decree. However, the ways in which remarriage impact divorce issues can vary case by case.
Spousal Support Terminates Upon Remarriage
If you are receiving spousal maintenance, also called spousal support or alimony, you will most likely no longer receive payments once you have remarried. As per Illinois law, a spousal maintenance recipient’s remarriage results in an immediate termination of the other spouse’s maintenance obligation. You should also know that a paying spouse may file a motion to terminate spousal support if the recipient spouse is living with a romantic partner on a “resident, continuing, conjugal basis.” This means that you may lose your spousal support if you are living with a boyfriend or girlfriend – even if you decide not to formalize the relationship through marriage. The only exception to these rules is if you and your ex-spouse had agreed to a different spousal maintenance arrangement in a valid marital agreement such as a prenuptial agreement.
Tips for Having the “Divorce Talk” with Your Children
If you are a parent who has decided to end your marriage, announcing the divorce to your children may be the most dreaded part of the entire ordeal. You may be worried about how your children will react to the news or afraid that you will not have the answers to their many questions. You may also be concerned that your children will think that the split is somehow their fault. Unfortunately, there is no avoiding this important discussion. On the bright side, a tremendous amount of research has been conducted about how to help children cope with divorce. There are several things experts say you can do to make the divorce announcement go as smoothly as possible.
Include Both Parents in the Conversation
Understandably, you and your spouse may not be on the best terms right now. However, psychologists and other experts suggest telling the children about divorce together, if possible. When one parent announces the divorce in the other parent’s absence it can sometimes make the children feel as if they have to choose sides. Having the conversation as a whole family can help your children feel more secure. Explain that even though you and your spouse will no longer be living together, you will still love and care for the children just the same.
What Should I Do If I Cannot Pay My Court-Ordered Child Support?
Many people are struggling financially during these challenging times. If you are a parent with a child support obligation, you may sometimes have trouble making your payments. However, it is important to never simply stop making child support payments. Not only is child support nonpayment heavily penalized in Illinois, child support is also an important source of income for your child’s other parent. If you cannot afford your current child support obligation, it is possible that you may be eligible for a reduced payment through a child support modification.
Penalties for Child Support Nonpayment in Illinois
If you have been ordered by the court to pay a certain amount in child support every month, these payments are not optional. Child support orders are legally enforceable court orders. If you do not pay, you could face major administrative or even criminal penalties. You may be subject to:
Am I Entitled to a Portion of My Spouse’s Retirement Accounts After Divorce?
If you are considering divorce, you may have considerable concerns about how the split will affect your finances. One issue that many divorcing couples have questions about is how retirement accounts are handled during divorce. Even if retirement is still several years away, it is important to ensure that you will have access to the funds you need when the time comes. Depending on the type of retirement account in question and the length of your marriage, it is possible that retirement funds will play a significant role in the division of marital assets during divorce.
Which Retirement Funds Are Considered Part of the Marital Estate?
Marital property includes assets that were acquired by either spouse during the marriage. Non-marital property includes assets that were acquired before the marriage. Retirement funds that accrued while you and your spouse were married are usually considered marital property while funds accumulated before the marriage are non-marital property. Therefore, it is possible that a portion of the retirement funds will be considered subject to division during divorce while another portion of the accounts are not subject to division. Accurately valuing and dividing pensions, IRAs, and 401(k)s, during divorce can be a complex task – especially if the retirement funds include stocks or other assets that may fluctuate in value. The tax consequences of retirement fund distribution is also a major factor to consider when deciding how to handle retirement accounts.
Tips for Divorcing Parents with a Disabled Child
When you are a parent, getting a divorce does not only affect you and your spouse, it can also have a dramatic impact on your child. If your child has an intellectual or physical disability, you may wonder how you can minimize your child’s stress during this difficult transition. You may have concerns about the emotional effects the divorce will have on your child as well as the logistical and financial issues you will need to address. Although there is no perfect way to handle divorce as a parent of a child with disabilities, there are several steps you can take that may lessen the strain experienced by the whole family.
Minimize the Contentiousness Between You and Your Spouse
Numerous studies have shown that children are very sensitive to parental tension and hostility. One of the best things you can do for your child is to make your divorce as cooperative and respectful as possible. Many parents find that family law mediation allows them to resolve divorce issues such as property division and parental responsibilities without going through a stressful and contentious court trial. During mediation, you and your spouse will meet with a skilled mediator who helps keep discussions focused on solutions rather than accusations, blame, or irrelevant subjects.
Which Spouse Is Responsible for Paying Credit Card Debt After an Illinois Divorce?
When “yours” and “mine” becomes “ours” in a marriage, undoing this financial entanglement through divorce can be quite complex. If you are planning to divorce and you or your spouse have significant credit card debt, you may be wondering who will be responsible for paying this debt. Depending on the circumstances under which credit card debt was accumulated and used, it is very possible that both spouses will be responsible for repayment.
Who Pays the Credit Card Balance?
Illinois courts divide marital property equitably but not necessarily evenly. Marital property refers to the assets and debt acquired during the marriage by either spouse. Save for certain inheritances and gifts, any property or debt obtained while the spouses are married is included in the marital estate. Property accumulated before the marriage is typically classified as nonmarital property and is assigned to the original owner. This means that typically, spouses are not jointly responsible for credit cards that were opened before the marriage and are in only one spouse’s name. However, spouses may be liable for credit card debts that were accumulated during the marriage – even if only one of the spouses made the credit card purchases. A spouse may not even become aware of credit card debt until he or she begins to examine financial documents in preparation for divorce. This is one reason that taking a full inventory of your property and debts during divorce is so crucial.
Understanding the Value of Signing a Prenup Before Your Illinois Marriage
Prenuptial agreements are often misunderstood. Some people mistakenly assume that a prenuptial agreement is only for the extremely wealthy or for individuals who plan to get divorced. In actuality, prenuptial agreements, or “prenups” for short, are valuable legal tools that benefit both parties in a marriage. Read on to learn about the many ways that a prenuptial agreement can benefit you and your soon-to-be spouse.
Establishing Each Spouse’s Property Rights and Responsibilities
The main purpose of a prenuptial agreement is to decide in advance how the couple wishes to divide debts and assets should they later decide to divorce. While this may not be a very romantic possibility to consider, it is an important step to take. Keep in mind that creating a prenuptial agreement does not mean that you and your spouse intend to get divorced. However, current research shows that just over 40 percent of marriages end in divorce. Preparing for this possibility simply means that you and your partner understand that there is a chance that the marriage will not work out. Signing a prenuptial agreement is crucial if:
How Can a Temporary Relief Order Benefit My Family Before My Divorce Is Finalized?
If you are a parent who is considering divorce, you may have concerns about how financial issues and child custody concerns will be handled between the initial split and the conclusion of the divorce. Divorce cases, especially high asset divorces and those involving a high degree of conflict, can take several months or several years to resolve. You may be asking yourself, “How will I make ends meet without my spouse’s income during the divorce process?” or “How will parenting time and parental responsibilities be divided before the divorce is finalized?” One way to answer these questions is to petition the court for temporary relief orders.
Temporary Arrangements for Child Custody, Child Support, and Spousal Maintenance
A petition for temporary relief asks the court to issue temporary court orders regarding certain financial and child-related issues. You can ask for a temporary relief order at any time throughout the divorce process. The temporary relief may address issues related to:
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