Posted on December 15, 2023 in Adoption

Gray divorce is a term commonly used to describe divorce between spouses who are 50 years old or older. The topic has been gaining coverage in recent years as the divorce rates for this age group have been increasing. There are several reasons for this, which will be described below. If you are in your fifties or older and find yourself considering divorce, a knowledgeable Kane County, IL divorce lawyer will be able to guide you based on their vast experience and ensure that your best interests are being fought for

What Are Some Unique Issues in Gray Divorce?

Because of the spouses’ ages, the life experience they have generally accumulated by the time they seek a divorce, and the length of time their marriage typically has lasted, there are several reasons why Gray Divorce is considered its own topic with its own characteristics: These reasons include:

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 Posted on December 11, 2023 in Prenuptial Agreements

Many people have heard the term "prenuptial agreement" before, but not many know exactly what this agreement entails. The truth is, some legal knowledge is necessary for a prenuptial agreement to be understood. If you do not have a good understanding of the law, you might end up signing something that is not in your best interest. Maybe you were given a document to sign right before your wedding, and you did not think it would ever be relevant, so you signed it just to move ahead with your plans. Maybe your spouse's parents said they would not allow you to get married unless you signed it. Whatever the case, if you were forced to sign a prenuptial agreement that did not suit you, and now you are considering divorce and feel concerned about what might happen, an experienced Kane County, IL divorce lawyer can answer any question you may have and challenge the agreement in court.

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 Posted on December 04, 2023 in Divorce

Divorce settlements lay out how any marital assets will be divided. Some assets are easier to divide and some are harder. One of the assets that can be complicated to divide is a business. If either or both spouses own a business, figuring out how it will be divided requires the consideration of many factors. If not done right, it could affect the future of the business. While there are several ways a business can ultimately be divided between ex-spouses, it is generally a great idea to do something called a business valuation. If you are considering divorce but are concerned about how it might affect the business you own, an experienced Kane County, IL, divorce attorney can advise you on how best to protect your interests.

How Can a Business Valuation Impact My Illinois Divorce?

Regardless of the size of a business and whether it is a family-owned business, medical practice, investment firm, house cleaning company, or any other type of business you can imagine, figuring out what will happen to your business after divorce can be a complicated challenge. In general, there are three ways to deal with business ownership in a divorce:

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 Posted on November 28, 2023 in Pet Custody

While a lot of people are aware of the most common topics that generally need to be divided up in a divorce - child custody; alimony/spousal support; division of property, assets, and debts - there are some divorce issues that people are less aware of. You might be surprised to know, for example, that what happens to a family pet in divorce is an entire topic of its own.

Some people might consider pets property since they are animals and not humans. But in many cases, families consider their pet a member of the family. This can make it harder to consider a pet an item that needs to be distributed. If you are considering divorce but find yourself worried it could mean the end of your relationship with your beloved pet, an experienced Kane County, IL divorce lawyer can help you navigate the process and advocate for your rights and interests.

How Do We Decide Who Gets Our Pet if We Both Love Her?

When a couple gets divorced, it can be extremely complicated trying to decide where their shared pet will live. For the courts to be able to decide this, both spouses will need to gather and present evidence that supports their claims. In this way, decisions about a pet are no different from decisions about any other aspect of divorce. 

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 Posted on November 22, 2023 in Divorce

While the concept of divorce is something most people are familiar with, the actual steps taken to make a divorce happen are not generally common knowledge. If you have never been through divorce proceedings yourself, it would be unusual for you to know what needs to be done. If you find yourself considering divorce and you do not know where to begin, an experienced Kane County, IL, divorce lawyer can explain to you all the steps that need to be taken and what all the terms mean so that you can move forward with knowledge and confidence.

Filing for Divorce

When a couple, or either spouse, wishes to get divorced, the first thing that needs to happen is that someone needs to go to court to file for divorce. Whoever does this is referred to as the petitioner, and the other spouse is referred to as the respondent. The petitioner needs to go to a court where they live. If they do not live with their spouse, they can also choose to file for divorce in a court where their spouse lives.

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 Posted on November 20, 2023 in Child Custody

Most people might think they have a basic understanding of what is involved in a divorce, but the vast majority are not familiar with what the most common divorce-related child custody terms mean. In general, if you have never experienced something yourself, you will be less familiar with it. The same goes for divorce and child custody matters. If you have never had a reason to gain an understanding of all the important factors in a divorce settlement where children are involved, the chances are you might lack some understanding of what all the terms mean. If you are a parent considering divorce for the first time and are not sure what all the terms mean, a Kane County, IL child custody lawyer can answer all your questions and help you represent your best interests with the knowledge and confidence you need.

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 Posted on November 15, 2023 in Divorce

Typically speaking, a divorce is not a simple process for anyone. Even if you and your spouse agree rationally on all the issues involved, there can be an emotional component. Once, you were committed to each other and now you are figuring out how to separate your lives. In addition to the emotional issues, there can be financial implications. In some divorce settlements, people can be responsible for covering any debt their ex incurred during their marriage. This can include education fees, investments they made, or payment plans that have not been completed. If you are considering divorce but are concerned about what will happen with your ex’s debt, an experienced Kane County divorce lawyer can answer your questions and explain any responsibilities you may have.

How Does the State of Illinois Rule on Distribution of Assets and Debts in Divorce?

There are two main methods used for distributing a couple’s marital assets and debts: equal and equitable. The method used in your divorce is determined by the state you are in. The state of Illinois follows an equitable distribution method. Rather than splitting the value of all assets down the middle and giving each spouse an equal share, an equitable division would dictate that several factors need to be taken into account:

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 Posted on November 09, 2023 in Divorce

Every divorce is unique. Some couples can settle their separation amicably, through an uncontested divorce. Other couples might have such powerful animosity that they may go through what is called a high-conflict divorce. Some couples will settle their divorce in court, while others will do so through mediation. Regardless of the different ways a divorce could be settled, the actual aspects of life that need to be decided on in the divorce settlement are generally similar. If you are considering divorce, an experienced Kane County, IL, divorce attorney can explain what you can reasonably expect your divorce settlement to include and begin working on a plan to protect your best interests.

What Issues Are Covered in a Divorce Settlement?

A divorce can take time to be settled because the couple needs to figure out how all the parts of their life that were bound together in marriage will now be divided up. A typical divorce settlement will include the following aspects:

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 Posted on November 02, 2023 in Family Law

Many people have heard about a prenuptial agreement, a sort of contract drawn up between two people about to join together in the bonds of marriage. A prenuptial agreement is like a rainy-day policy: something you have ready “just in case” but hope you will not need. However, engaged couples often opt out of a prenuptial agreement and later regret doing so. If you are already married but think having an agreement in place “just in case,” a Kane County, IL divorce lawyer can help guide you and your spouse through the process of establishing a postnuptial agreement.

What Is a Postnuptial Agreement?

To a large degree, a postnuptial agreement is almost the same as a prenuptial agreement, aside from the fact that it is signed after a wedding instead of beforehand.

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 Posted on October 27, 2023 in Divorce

Social media is unquestionably a fact of life these days. People use social networks to connect with geographically distant friends and family, share milestones and view those of their friends, meet potential romantic interests, do some professional networking or collaboration, and a ton of other things. But be warned: anything you post online can be seen by anyone else who tries hard enough, which could affect your divorce. Suppose you are considering divorce and are concerned your social media conduct might influence your divorce settlement. In that case, you should speak with a knowledgeable Kane County, IL divorce attorney who can answer your questions and advise you on moving forward.

How Can Social Media Impact My Divorce Settlement?

Unfortunately, some people are willing to do anything they can to get the settlement they want, including lying and deceiving. They may try to paint the picture of an unfaithful spouse, someone lying about their actual wealth so they can seem eligible for receiving alimony payments or at least not be required to pay to the other spouse, someone unfit to care for children, and more. But with the ever-increasing popularity of social networks, people are constantly posting pictures online for the world to see. This means it is now much easier than it ever used to be to try to gather evidence of claims against someone. With easy access to personal information about other people, the claims have the potential to influence decisions in a divorce settlement. For example:

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