How Do I Petition for a Change in Child Support?
What does child support mean for your family? Is it something you feel was correctly determined or do you believe you deserve more or owe less? If you are looking for an increase or decrease, it is certainly possible, but it does require some legal intervention. In Illinois, during the period in which a child support order is temporary and pending, it is possible to change it. However, after the final judgement, it will be harder to modify. In order to do so, your lawyer will have to prov... Read more ...
You’re Going Through a Divorce: Why You Need to Meditate
Divorce is one of life’s most difficult transitions. You are not only breaking-up with the person you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with, but you are also probably dealing with custody and financial challenges. As with anything in life, there will be ups and downs throughout divorce and if you are currently in a hard stage, I’ve heard many clients say that meditation helped them. Just a quick FYI, if you read meditation and mediation, you’re not the only one. Bu... Read more ...
What to Do When Politics Affect Divorce
Published in the September 10, 2018 edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin Welcome to my regular column, Discourse on Divorce. In this edition, I look at divorces that are affected by opposing political views and how attorneys can handle divorces under these circumstances. In the past few years, with our country’s changing and heightened political environment, it seems that politics have become much more prevalent in everyday life. Consequently, political conversations have b... Read more ...
How Life Insurance Changes During a Divorce
Going through a divorce can sometimes feel like a puzzle; there are a million pieces and they have to fit together just so. One of those pieces that can often be overlooked is life insurance. Between custody, maintenance (alimony), and the emotional landmines of divorce, life insurance is often the last thing divorcing couples want to think about. However, if you are getting a divorce, then life insurance may be necessary to protect your and your children’s financial interests. Another way to ... Read more ...
Who Pays for Extracurricular Activities After a Divorce in Illinois?
Illinois law dictates that the right to make certain significant parenting decisions, including decisions over which extracurricular activities children may participate in, is to be allocated to one or both parents. With these activities comes the question of who will pay for them. As children grow, their interests and activities expand and suddenly many parents are wondering who is going to have to pay for music lessons, sports teams, dance lessons, art classes, and more. In Illinois, expenses ... Read more ...
How Often Can My Parenting Plan Be Revised?
In Illinois, during a divorce, couples with children enter into a parenting plan. Before 2016, this document would be referred to as a custody agreement; however, an Illinois law was passed in 2016 that swapped out the word “custody” for “parenting plan“. A parenting plan is a document that includes all the information on who will make decisions for the child. The plan includes the following information: Where the child lives Time the child spends with each parent Which ... Read more ...
