Recent Blog Posts
Proving That Your Former Spouse Violated Your Divorce Order
![Proving Your Former Spouse Has Violated Your Divorce Order](/images/easyblog_images/2017/10/Enforcing-Divorce-Order.jpg)
- The allocation of parental responsibilities;
- Child support;
- Spousal maintenance; and
- Marital properties he or she must surrender.
A divorce agreement is a court order, and violating it may result in civil and criminal penalties. If your former spouse refuses to obey your divorce order, you can take him or her to court by filing a Petition for Rule to Show Cause. However, you must show that your spouse is willfully in contempt of the order. You can help your case by preparing supporting evidence for both your petition and your hearing.
Preparing for Financial Negotiations During Your Divorce
![Preparing for Financial Negotiations During Your Divorce](/images/easyblog_images/2017/09/Planning-Finances-Divorce.jpg)
Separating Money
It is common for spouses to combine their incomes in a joint bank account. You will still have access to that account during your divorce, but your future income should go into a bank account that is solely in your name. There are several advantages to this:
- The money you deposit in a joint bank account is marital property, which is subject to division during the divorce;
Types of Orders of Protection and How to Modify Them
![Types of Orders of Protection and How to Modify Them](/images/easyblog_images/2017/08/Types-Order-of-Protection.jpg)
- Physical abuse;
- Harassment;
- Intimidation; and
- Obstruction of personal liberties.
A domestic violence incident may be an emergency for the victim, but obtaining and keeping an order of protection requires following a legal process. The steps are meant to provide immediate and lasting protection for domestic violence victims, while also protecting the accused from false or unfair claims.
Types of Orders
An order of protection determines who the offender may have contact with and may require that support payments be made to the victim. However, a court will not impose any long-term conditions on the accused until it rules on the case in a hearing. At the same time, the law recognizes that victims need immediate relief from their suspected abusers. There are three types of orders of protection that are used at different stages of the legal process:
Forgiveness Heals After Your Divorce
![Forgiveness Heals After Your Divorce](/images/easyblog_images/2017/07/Forgiveness-Resentment-Divorce.jpg)
Reasons for Resentment
You are unlikely to reach the point of forgiveness without first recognizing your resentment. You may have a valid reason to be angry at your former spouse if he or she was involved in:
- Infidelity;
- Physical or verbal abuse;
- Criminal activity; or
Challenging Paternity Fraud in Court
![Challenging Paternity Fraud in Court](/images/easyblog_images/2017/06/Paternity-Fraud-Challenge.jpg)
- Has been providing monthly child support payments; and
- May have developed a paternal relationship with the child.
Men in Illinois can challenge their legal paternity based on fraud but must meet a two-year deadline and provide convincing evidence.
Tips for Co-Parenting during the Summer Months
Summer is right around the corner and for many families that mean filling the calendar up with vacations, day trips, family outings, and other fun activities. For divorced families, however, summer can also cause stress and strife between co-parents who are trying to make their summer plans with their children included, however, there are steps that they can take to help ensure a fun and no-stress summer for everyone.
Parenting Time Agreement
Spring is a good time to look over the parenting agreement that the court approved when custody was determined. Check and see if the agreement requires each of you to give the other a certain amount of notice when it comes to vacations and/or other events. If you do have plans which go beyond the boundaries set in the agreement, consult with the other parent before going ahead and finalizing those plans.
Understanding Illinois' New Child Support Law
![Understanding Illinois' New Child Support Law Illinois child support attorney, Illinois family law attorney, Illinois divorce lawyer,](/images/easyblog_images/2017/05/New-Illinois-Child-Support-Law.jpg)
New Formula
Illinois’ current child support system requires a parent to pay a set percentage of his or her net income, based on the number of children being supported. The new system eliminates that percentages scale in favor of a formula that takes into account both parents’ incomes:
IRS Rules Regarding Spousal Support
The month of April may signal the arrival of spring, but it is also the deadline for most people to file their taxes. For couples who have gone through or are in the midst of a divorce, there are several issues which may come up that could have a significant issue on federal income taxes. One of those issues is spousal support, and unlike child support, spousal support is considered to be taxable income according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Under the tax laws, any payment that meets the falling criteria is considered to be spousal support and therefore, the receiving spouse needs to claim it as income on their tax return:
- The spouses will be filing separate, not joint, tax returns;
- The payments made by one spouse to the other are “cash” payments. It is important to note that payments can be made via checking account, bank check, or money order;
Life after Divorce: Moving Forward
An Illinois woman’s social media photos that depict her celebrating her divorce have garnered international media attention. The woman hired the original photographer who took her wedding photographs five years ago to document the celebration, which included setting her wedding dress on fire. The woman, who said she was with her ex for a total of 10 years and who she shares a 6-year-old daughter with, said the experience made her “feel free.”
Although setting your wedding dress on fire may feel like an extreme choice to you, there are other steps you can take to help you move forward after a divorce.
Recognize Your Own Value
Many times, people who go through a divorce feel as if they have failed and question their own worth and how much they really do have to offer. Make a list of all your good qualities and read that list on a daily basis. Keep doing this until you really believe what you are reading.
Non-Custodial Grandparent and Great-Grandparent Visitation Rights
The state of Illinois has updated a number of laws regarding visitation rights. One of these changes that have been in effect since January 1, 2017, is House Bill 5656. This new law states that the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is now required to make a reasonable effort to accommodate and grant visitation privileges to non-custodial grandparents and/or great-grandparents of a child who is in the care and custody of the DCFS.
The Department is now responsible for specific criteria when determining whether to grant visitation, such as:
- The DCFS should try and consider whether or not the child would like to visit with their grandparent or great-grandparent.
- They should determine the child's maturity level. The child may not be able to express how they really feel if they are too young to know the entirety of the situation.