Important Things to Discuss With Your Illinois Divorce Attorney

 Posted on January 18, 2021 in Divorce

When you have made the decision to get divorced, there are many things that you need to do to prepare for the process. Among these is finding a divorce attorney who is willing to advocate on your behalf and fight to protect your best interests if necessary. Once you find the right lawyer, you will want to meet and spend some time with him or her so your attorney can best represent you. The more information you provide, the better your attorney is able to handle your case.

As you go into the first meeting with your lawyer, there are a number of things that you should be sure to cover, including:

What Information Do I Need?

For your discussion with your lawyer, you want to bring documentation that illustrates your financial contributions to the marriage. Most commonly, this includes tax returns, proof of income, bank statements, stocks, bills, and insurance paperwork. You also want to include debt information, including outstanding loans. Take the time to collect documents such as tax returns, pay stubs, credit card bills, and insurance policies so that your lawyer can have a good starting point for building your case.

Real Estate and Property

Only marital assets must be divided in a divorce in Illinois. Marital assets are generally assets that were acquired or invested in during the marriage. For example, if one spouse paid off the family home prior to the marriage, and only their name is on the title, it would probably be considered non-marital property and likely go to the spouse who purchased it. However, if you and your spouse paid the mortgage off over the course of your marriage, the home would likely be considered a marital asset.

Marital property in Illinois is divided based on what is fair to each party, otherwise known as equitable distribution. These divisions are not necessarily designed to be "equal," but are instead based on factors such as the length of the marriage, custody arrangements, and the economic situation of each party. If one spouse is the primary caretaker of the children, for example, they may be granted the family home in part because doing so would be the least disruptive option for the family. The other spouse, however, would probably be given a larger share of the other marital property to account for the value of the home.

With these considerations in mind, it is a good idea to bring a list of your marital property and non-marital property to the meeting with your lawyer. You may also discuss which assets you would like to keep, if keeping them is possible.

Parental Responsibilities and Child Support

Dividing property or valuables is one thing, but coordinating parental responsibilities is another. You and your spouse are encouraged by Illinois law to come together and figure out what is best for your child in the form of a parenting plan. This plan determines who is responsible for different aspects of the child’s life, as well as when the child spends time with each parent in the form of parenting time. If parents cannot make a decision on their own, the court will step in and make a ruling based on what is best for the child.

It is best to express your concerns regarding parenting arrangements and child support to your attorney in your first meeting. This will help your lawyer understand your values and priorities so that he or she can develop a strategy customized to meet your needs.

Contact a Kane County Divorce Attorney Today

The divorce process is never easy, but having the right lawyer can ease the stress of property division and the creation of a parenting plan. Get it right the first time with an experienced and compassionate St. Charles divorce lawyer at Goostree Law Group. Call our office at 630-584-4800 to schedule a free consultation today.

Source:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/5-topics-you-need-to-disc_b_12686692