Answer: In my frame of reference, this statement can have two different meanings, depending upon the context in which it is used. If it seems to relate to the divorce in general, the speaker is depicting the parting of the ways as mutual and not more painful to one party than to the other. It can…
Because we do something that many divorce lawyers do not do. We try to protect you from the divorce legal system itself. We go out of our way to spare you from a costly court experience that can often be avoided. We make it our priority to settle your case before it can even get…
Most Clients Report Great Hesitancy At the thought of making this phone call. Many tell us later that they dialed, froze, and actually hung up a couple of times before letting the call go through. Some say they were leery about reaching a pushy fast-talker who would try to pressure them into doing something that…
For the very first time in the history of Illinois divorce law, the courts are now mandated by state law to deal with companion animals just as they do with any other property of the divorcing parties. The soon-to-be ex-spouses may now include language in their Marital Settlement Agreements allocating sole or joint ownership of…
Answer: If a spouse inherits or is gifted any property during a marriage, that property (under our divorce law) is non-marital property and will remain the sole property of the spouse receiving any such gift or inheritance provided that which is gifted or inherited starts out with and remains titled to or in an account held solely in…
Answer: Yes. Illinois’ divorce law overrides some of the laws that would normally pertain to banking and property/account ownership. For example, if a house or a bank account is only in one party’s name, under the applicable real estate or banking law, the home or account belongs entirely to that party and the other spouse has…
Answer: When you and your spouse first purchased your home, you received a warranty deed from the sellers in which they guaranteed that you were getting a clean title. This is for your protection and for your lender’s protection. However, when a co-owner of a property wishes to transfer his or her interest in the property…
Answer: The wife does not get the house as frequently as myth would have us believe. The marital residence is dealt with in different ways depending on some of the following variables: …modern lending trends have made it difficult for a divorced person to be able to buy a new home while he or she is…
401k’s, 403b’s, IRA’s, Thrift/Savings Plans There are two types of retirement benefits: Defined Benefit Plans and Defined Contribution Plans. Defined Benefit Plans Defined Benefit Plans are the traditional type of pensions where you get a set amount of money each month for life when you retire. They are no longer commonly used in the private sector,…
No, it is not. At least, there is no hard and fast rule that automatically entitles each spouse to one-half of the marital assets. While a 50-50 division typically occurs more often than not, it happens only when it is consistent with equity and fairness. For example, 50-50 would be fair and equitable if both…
