Tag Archives: DuPage County divorce attorney

Helping Children Cope with Divorce

Often likened to a death in the family, divorce is one of the most stressful events a person can experience in their life. Even an amicable divorce can be difficult to cope with. Add children into the mix, and matters can get even more complicated. For children, divorce can be a very stressful and emotional experience. To a child, parents separating can feel like the end of the world. They may fear the future, worry that they will never see one of their parents again, or feel responsible for their parent’s split. Fortunately, children can and do recover from divorce all the time. While the divorce period itself may be rough, and the transition from a single household to a co-parenting situation can be challenging, your children will recover. In the meantime, here are a few dos and do not’s for parents hoping to help their child cope with the news of their divorce.

Continue reading Helping Children Cope with Divorce

Divorce and Social Media Use

Using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter is almost second nature to Americans. If you are going through a divorce, you may be inclined to post on social media, but there are real concerns, both legal and emotional, that you should be aware of when using social media. Do you need to unplug completely? No, but there are some potential consequences to be aware of. Before posting an update on your divorce, educate yourself on the potential legal and emotional issues you may face.

Continue reading Divorce and Social Media Use

Blended Families: Tips for Building a Relationship with Stepchildren

Developing a relationship with your stepchildren can be difficult. While you may be excited to be a new member of the family and make connections, your stepchildren may see you as a reminder of their parent’s divorce. They also may also view you as a sign that their mother and father are not going to reunite. Through sensitivity and patience, however, you can start building a healthy relationship with your new stepchildren. Here is how:

Continue reading Blended Families: Tips for Building a Relationship with Stepchildren

About to Divorce? Consider Mediation

If you and your spouse are considering a divorce, you may not know how best to proceed. Hiring an attorney can be expensive, but the divorce process is complicated, and going it on your own could lead to costly mistakes. What is your best option? If you and your spouse are willing to work together through your divorce process, and are hoping to keep your case out of court, consider mediation. Through mediation, couples can amicably reach a divorce agreement they both agree upon, without the conflict and expense of a typical litigated divorce. As an added plus, mediation typically tends to take less time, allowing couples to quickly finalize their divorce and move on.

Continue reading About to Divorce? Consider Mediation

Study Reveals Young Americans Less Accepting of Divorce

Every so often, the US government surveys thousands of teenagers and young adults, gathering their opinions on changes to American family life. They ask respondents for their thoughts on a number of matters including single parenting, cohabitation, gay marriage, and divorce. This year’s data, released recently by the National Center for Health Statistics, may surprise people. While younger Americans are becoming increasingly more accepting of gay relationships, single parenting, and cohabitation before marriage, they are less accepting of divorce when compared to past generations. Divorce has become more common with each new generation of Americans, and now around half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. Why this sudden shift in opinion?

Continue reading Study Reveals Young Americans Less Accepting of Divorce

Preparing for Divorce: Common Financial Mistakes People Make during Divorce

Divorce is a stressful, complicated process, and those going through it are easily susceptible to making mistakes. If you are struggling to cope emotionally with your divorce, your finances – both short and long term – may not be on the top of your mind. If you are going through a divorce, however, you need to be aware of a few mistakes you may be making that could potentially impact your finances for years to come. Divorce specialists say there are a few common financial mistakes their clients make during divorce, and encourage those about to protect themselves from them. They Do Not Budget Budgeting seems to be a problem for Americans. A recent Gallup poll showed that only one third of Americans create and follow a household budget, so it comes as no surprise that people do not budget for divorce either. Before filing, sit down and review the future costs of your divorce. Additionally, budget for your life as a newly single person. Will you be working? Will you be receiving maintenance or other support? They Do Not Get Their Assets Valued If you want an accurate idea of how much you and your ex will be receiving from your divorce settlement, you need to know the value of everything you owned together. While having your house appraised during a divorce may seem like a hassle, it really is the only way you can plan for your settlement. Similarly, if you or your spouse has a pension, get it valued. They Do Not Gather All of Their Important Financial Documents Experts say that not having a complete picture of your shared finances is one of the easiest ways to make financial mistakes during divorce. While nobody enjoys sifting through financial records and other important documentation, you need to know your complete financial picture before moving forward too far. Another common mistake is not reviewing these documents. Simply gathering the information is not enough; you must understand it. If you do not have an accurate understanding of your family’s finances, how can you move forward? They Forget About Taxes All too often people find themselves with a large tax bill after divorce. Taxes can affect many parts of your divorce, so it is essential to understand the tax implications of your settlement. They Only Hire a Lawyer While hiring an experienced divorce attorney is certainly one way to help ensure a smooth divorce process, you may need other help. In complex divorce situations, for example, when multiple businesses are involved, or a variety of investments are involved, you may need to seek additional help. A financial planner or another specialist with a financial background can help you ensure you are making the best decisions possible.

Continue reading Preparing for Divorce: Common Financial Mistakes People Make during Divorce

Preparing Financially for Divorce

If you are considering divorcing your spouse, you are likely dealing with a bevy of emotions. While your emotional happiness is certainly a vital factor to weigh while determining if you should divorce or not, you also need to consider another important factor – your personal finances. Before you make the final decision to divorce, make sure you are financially ready to divorce.

Continue reading Preparing Financially for Divorce

Questions to Ask While Interviewing a Divorce Lawyer

Choosing the right divorce attorney can be difficult. Depending on where you live, you may have dozens of attorneys available to you, but which firm do you choose to work with? Most of the decision comes down to your specific divorce case, your budget, and your personal feelings.

Continue reading Questions to Ask While Interviewing a Divorce Lawyer

How to Extend an Order of Protection

Some divorces and domestic splits become violent and threatening, with one spouse or partner placing the other in fear of physical harm to him- or herself or some other person. Sometimes the abuser will threaten harm to him- or herself. All of this behavior is, at its core, an attempt to assert power and control over a person or process the abuser feels he or she no longer has control over. Domestic violence and abuse can traumatize the victim, interfering with his or her daily life and any work-related and/or parental duties he or she might have. It can also negatively affect children and is even thought to cause health problems in pets.

Continue reading How to Extend an Order of Protection

Valuing a Business in an Illinois Divorce

Most Americans are familiar with the basic concept of property division in an Illinois divorce: the court will attempt to divide the property between the two divorcing spouses in a fair and equitable manner. But a business is a much more complicated asset to divide than, say, the value of a car or the value of a home. What is more, the value of a business on any given day may fluctuate and, over time, can vary widely from its value at a previous point in time.

Continue reading Valuing a Business in an Illinois Divorce