Cook County Family Law Blog

In a divorce case that involves children, it is common for parents to struggle with the idea of spending less time with their kids. The reality is that there is no way to give both parents as much time as they want with their children. The time simply has to be apportioned. Parenting agreements and custody schedules vary, so that is something that you and your spouse will need to talk about in detail prior to the finalization of your divorce.

When you and your spouse decided to divorce, you may have felt overwhelmed with the decisions you had to make. Your first concern may have been for your children's well-being, but you also wanted to be sure your finances were in reasonably good shape for your post-divorce life. You may have had to find new living arrangements and determine how you would divide the furniture and other assets.

There may be one more thing you are overlooking. If you have not addressed your estate plan in light of the changes in your marital status, you may be leaving some very important work undone. Your estate plan may no longer express your wishes, and it may be a matter of urgency to modify those documents.

Alimony is something that many people want to discuss but may not know where to start. Alimony, better known as spousal support or maintenance, is based on formulas set by the state. However, the reality is that many couples are able to agree on an amount of alimony prior to divorce regardless of the laws or what they suggest the right amount of alimony is.

Spousal support or maintenance is about negotiation. Right now, the 2018 changes in alimony formulas in Illinois mean that many maintenance orders will be shorter than in the past. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also impacted deductions for alimony payments, which means that your ex-spouse won't be able to write off the payments as a tax deduction. This all negatively impacts those who are meant to receive alimony to support themselves.

While the state of Illinois legalized same-sex marriage only months before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2015, you may have been among the many who rejoiced and celebrated when the federal government acknowledged your right to marry the person you love, no matter which state you live in.

The court's ruling gives you every right and privilege that opposite-sex couples have enjoyed for centuries, including the right to make medical decisions for your spouse, take advantage of tax benefits for married couples, and adopt and raise children as a family. The new law also gives you the right to divorce. Unfortunately, because of the long wait for legalized same-sex marriage, your divorce may have unique complications.