Tag Archives: child support

How to Determine Spousal Maintenance in Illinois

The divorce process is oftentimes very complex. Each divorce is different, so each situation will go down different avenues and will produce different results. Many divorce cases will include spousal support; yet, other cases will not allow it.

For each marriage that includes spousal support, there is no way to estimate the exact amount without considering child support, combined gross income, and so-called “multiple family situation.” Divorce is not a “one size fits all” type of situation.

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Guardian ad Litem in Illinois

There are several situations when a divorce may cause a child or children to worry—children who may unfortunately be involved in the divorce process. When this is the case, the parents filing for divorce may not be able to come up with an ideal solution in the child’s or children’s best interests. If this situation arises, the parents may need to bring in another authorized person to assist in making decisions during the divorce process.

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How the Calculation of Child Support Will Change in 2017

Right now, child support in Illinois is calculated based upon the paying parent’s net income and the number of children shared. All of that will change, come July 1, 2017. What sort of changes can you expect, and how might it impact your case? The following explains.

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What to Do If Your Ex Refuses to Follow a Court Order

When a family court issues an order, it expects that the parties will follow it. If your spouse—or ex-spouse—refuses to comply with an existing court order, a family law attorney can help you understand your available options. In some cases, your best choice is to file a Rule to Show Cause or a Contempt Action.

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Cohabitation: What Are My Rights?

It has become very popular in recent years for unmarried couples to live together. This is known as cohabitation. Some cohabitating couples opt to get married after living together for a few years. Others choose to end their relationships and move on separately, which can create confusion about personal property and its division among unmarried partners.

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A Glossary of Divorce Terms

Divorce is a common legal process that many couples will have to go through. However, as with many legal proceedings, the terminology can often form an unnecessary obstacle to people’s understanding it. This glossary of divorce terms should help people cut through the legal jargon to understand what is going on in their own divorce case.

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Child Support: The Legal Process

If you have a child or children, you are required by law to support child until the child reaches the age of majority. The amount of child support you are required to pay must be reviewed and subsequently approved by a court of law. Once a judge approves the amount of child support obligation the non-custodial parent owes, the judge will put that amount into a judicial order. This judicial order is recorded and the determined amount must be paid. If a non-custodial parent fails to pay his or her child support obligation, he or she may be held in civil contempt, where he or she can be arrested until he or she “purges,” or pays, a specified amount of past due support.

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Legal Paternity Helps Children, Paternity Fraud Does Not

When a child is born to unmarried parents, it is very beneficial to establish legal paternity. By doing so, the biological father of the child is recognized as the legal father, with all of the rights and responsibilities provided by law. There are several ways in which legal paternity may be established to provide for the best interests of the child. Unfortunately, there are also ways in which the system may be fraudulently used to force a man other than the biological father to assume financial responsibility for the child.

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Legal Separation May Be an Option

When a marriage seems to have failed, many couples assume that divorce is not only inevitable, but the only available solution. For a large majority of couples in that situation, divorce may, in fact, be in their long-term best interest. In some cases, however, one spouse may instead wish to file for a legal separation.

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