Posted on August 28, 2024 in Divorce

Most couples going through a divorce are aware of the need for them to figure out how they will divide their marital assets. Illinois follows an equitable distribution model for dividing assets, which focuses on an arrangement that might not be equal but is fair based on several factors that are taken into consideration. It is, therefore, important for both spouses to agree about the value of each item considered a marital asset. However, some assets are unusual and can be difficult to value. Art, collectibles, and family-run businesses are just some examples of assets that can be difficult to divide in a divorce. If your marital assets include hard-to-value items, speak with an experienced DuPage County, IL divorce lawyer who can help you gain clarity and understanding.

How Are Unusual Items Valued for a Divorce Settlement?

Before a couple reaches a divorce settlement, they need to examine the total value of their marital estate. Figuring out the value of some assets, like a bank account, for example, is fairly clear-cut. However, valuing assets like heirlooms, art, jewelry, antique collections, cryptocurrency, and businesses can be much more difficult. In addition to the actual value of an item, factors like market trends and demand could impact what something is worth. If a couple has these types of items, they need an expert appraiser to help them understand how much their assets are worth, typically by determining how much the item could be sold for.

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 Posted on August 26, 2024 in Child Custody

Parents going through a divorce often fight when both want the most time with their children. Bitter custody battles can be a painful experience, but it can become even more traumatic if one parent decides to take impulsive action. In Illinois, if a parent violates the visitation schedule, they can be charged for parental abduction. If your child’s other parent might try to take them away from you, speak with a skilled Kane County, IL child custody attorney to hear your options.

 How Does Illinois Handle Parental Kidnapping?

Illinois courts prefer granting both parents some amount of visitation and parental rights. Even if one parent has primary custody, the courts try to ensure the other parent is involved in the child’s life. Unfortunately, some parents take their children without the authority to do so.

In addition to the emotional trauma of parental abduction, there are legal consequences. If a parent violates their parenting plan, they could face serious charges and consequences. According to Illinois law, the other parent can be convicted of parental abduction or kidnapping if they intentionally violate your custody order or intentionally hide your child or keep them away from you without your permission if you do not have a custody order. The charges they might face include:

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 Posted on August 21, 2024 in Child Support

This month, Illinois is marking Child Support Awareness Month by celebrating some newly launched initiatives aimed at helping parents and children across the state. By bringing attention to new efforts and improvements in how child support is handled, this awareness month places special focus on a legal issue that affects so many people. Child support can be an essential lifeline to parents after divorce by ensuring their financial ability to raise their children. If you have questions about child support, speak with a qualified Kane County, IL divorce lawyer to learn more.

New Child Support Initiatives in Illinois

With child support being such an important issue, the state of Illinois is introducing several new initiatives to improve how it works, including:

• Better online services: A new online portal has been launched to make it easier for parents to manage their child support payments. Parents can easily check their payment history, update their information, and even make payments directly online, making child support payments more convenient and accessible.

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 Posted on August 15, 2024 in Child Custody

We are all familiar with that image of the family that has made it and accomplished the American dream: a mom and dad with a few kids playing happily in the front yard of their home with its white picket fence. Unfortunately, the reality for many people is quite different. Raising children can be challenging, and making a decent living to provide them with a safe and healthy environment can be very hard. If someone becomes a parent while struggling with issues like addiction, mental health conditions, or financial instability, they might find that they are unable to focus on the child’s needs in the way a parent needs to. While it is quite rare, there are some times when a grandparent can be granted custody over children in Illinois. If you have significant concerns for the safety and well-being of your grandchild, speak with a qualified St. Charles, IL child custody lawyer to review your options.

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 Posted on August 14, 2024 in Family Law

When people hear that someone is signing a postnuptial agreement, they might mistakenly think it means that they are headed toward divorce. Depending on the couple, the opposite might be true. You may be surprised to learn some of the reasons why a postnuptial agreement can be a positive step for couples. If you and your spouse are considering signing a postnuptial agreement, speak with an experienced DuPage County, IL family law attorney to learn more.

Benefits of a Postnuptial Agreement

Postnuptial agreements sometimes get a bad rap. People wrongly assume it means the couple is laying the groundwork for an eventual divorce. The truth is, having one can be a refreshing way to move forward as a couple, and some people feel like a huge weight has been lifted off their shoulders after signing one. Some reasons why include:

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 Posted on August 09, 2024 in Family Law

More and more kids are creating their own social media platforms and content channels and are gaining their own followings. These child influencers often appear in videos, pictures, or live streams and tend to include child-related topics like product and food reviews, vacation diaries, and daily life vlogs. If you are a parent of a child influencer in Illinois, there are laws you should know about that can affect you and your child. If you have questions about issues like privacy, income, and working hours for young social media stars, speak with a knowledgeable Kane County, IL family law attorney to find out more.

Laws and Regulations Related to Child Influencers

Illinois law includes several responsibilities that parents or other legal guardians of child influencers need to abide by. These include:

• Protecting privacy: Illinois has strict privacy laws to protect children. If your child is an influencer, you need to be careful about any personal information about them that is shared online. You should avoid posting your child’s address, school name, or other private details that could be misused. The Illinois Children’s Privacy Law helps protect kids’ personal information online, and it is important to follow these rules to keep your child safe.

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 Posted on August 07, 2024 in Asset Division

When a couple decides to end their marriage, there are many things they need to figure out how to split. Whether they own a home, have children, or founded a business together, it can be complicated going from being a couple to becoming two single individuals. One of the things that people often ask about is what happens with their retirement funds if they get a divorce. This article will explain a bit about how these funds would likely be divided. If you have further questions, speak with a knowledgeable Wheaton, IL divorce lawyer to find out more.

How Are the Funds Divided?

In Illinois, retirement funds are considered marital property if they were accumulated during the marriage. This means that both spouses might have a valid claim to them. The division of retirement accounts is usually part of the overall property division process in a divorce. To understand how a couple’s retirement funds might be divided, there are several things to consider:

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 Posted on August 07, 2024 in Domestic Violence

According to various reports, domestic violence deaths increased in Illinois by 110% in the year 2023. This troubling fact highlights the need for serious legal protection and support for victims. This is a real issue affecting families and communities and it needs real responses. This article will explain some legal measures that are already in place to help victims of domestic violence. If you are a victim and need legal advice, speak with a knowledgeable and compassionate St. Charles, IL family law attorney who can guide you at this difficult time.

Restraining Orders to Combat Domestic Violence

Legal measures exist to protect victims and prevent further violence. An order of protection, commonly known as a restraining order, is one of them. This legal order can help keep abusers away and provide safety for victims by imposing physical restrictions on where they can be in relation to their victims. It can include rules like prohibiting the abuser from contacting or coming near the victim or going to the victim’s school, work, or home.

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 Posted on July 31, 2024 in Child Custody

Homeschooling, once a fringe alternative to public and private schools, has become the fastest-growing form of education in the United States. At least five million K-12 children in the U.S., or 11.1 percent, are educated at home. Homeschooling has exploded since the pandemic, particularly among minorities. 

However, there are still plenty of parents who feel homeschooling is not the right move for their child. Home education can thus become a thorny disagreement for divorced parents who have opposing views on the subject. Ultimately, the decision will depend on how the parental responsibilities are divided, which this article will discuss. Consult an Illinois child custody attorney if you have disagreements with your ex-spouse that may affect your child.

What Are Parental Responsibilities?

There are two components to child custody. There is physical custody, which Illinois law calls parenting time, and there is legal custody, which Illinois law calls parental responsibilities. Parental responsibilities refer to a parent’s obligation to make major decisions for the child, namely in the following three areas:

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 Posted on July 30, 2024 in Family Law

Child support is a legal measure that courts use to make sure children’s needs are met after a divorce. Both parents are usually obligated to pay child support, though how much they pay depends on factors like custody arrangements and annual income. When a judge orders child support payments, it is after considering the child’s educational and developmental needs. These include any disabilities that might require extra care.

Parents may stop paying child support payments in certain cases, though you should always check with an Illinois child support attorney before you stop making child support payments.

When Can I Stop Paying Child Support?

Parents are usually absolved from paying child support in the following cases:

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