Divorce

If you’re going through a divorce as a parent, you should aim to reduce conflict as much as you can. At least attempt to be civil with your ex as you sort things out.  This may not feel fair. Maybe they were unfaithful to the marriage, and you feel like your outrage...

One of the biggest sources of conflict for many couples – and one that often leads to divorce -- is money. The conflicts over money don’t have to center around not having enough. Wealthy couples often fight about money, and the most serious conflicts are likely to be...

The decision to get divorced is never easy to make. You may no longer feel comfortable in your marriage. Still, you see some good things in your spouse and don’t want to risk losing them just because you are unhappy at the moment. This feeling is normal, and it is...

When you divorce, you have to split up parental responsibilities and your shared property with your ex. There is one aspect of your divorce where those two issues overlap, and that is when you have a pet or companion animal in your family.  For years, Illinois, along...

You have to meet certain requirements to file for divorce in Illinois. One of them is that you have to live separately from your spouse for at least six months. The courts can waive that requirement in some situations, such as when both spouses agree.  Many people...

Co-parenting after divorce can be a challenge. That said, when parents continue to be active participants in their child's life and are respectful of each other, the arrangement can benefit everyone. To make the situation easier, parents can set some healthy...

You know that you must have a firm understanding of your assets when you file for divorce. This allows you to get a fair split under the current laws.  To help, you begin looking into your assets a bit more deeply than you have before. What you find is that, since you...

Layoffs, shutdowns, reduced work hours and childcare challenges have affected nearly everyone’s lives over the past year due to the pandemic. For couples already experiencing marital difficulties when the stay-at-home orders began, life became even more complicated....

When people talk about the effects of divorce on children, the focus is almost always on the negative. Children might lash out, develop anxiety, become alienated from their parents or start struggling at school. However, those short-term hiccups in happiness and...

Divorce can best be seen as an opportunity for growth. Learning from your mistakes can be a way to turn a divorce from something that could feel like the loss of a dream and a failure into a springboard to a happier future.  That only works, however, if you avoid some...