Divorce or separation cases are both complicated proceedings that involve child custody, visitation, and support determinations. Even when parents are working together on these issues, they are highly emotional situations where both parents want to spend time with their children in a new family formation. A Metro East child custody attorney can assist parents in negotiating a fair and realistic parenting plan or represent a parent’s wishes in litigation. Depending on the age of your child or children during separation, they will likely have very strong emotional reactions, and this can result ..read more

In an Illinois divorce, each spouse has a legal obligation to provide financial information, such as their income, resources, assets, and debts. Unfortunately, some spouses purposefully do not disclose certain assets and resources. If you are entering divorce proceedings and you believe your spouse is hiding assets, you need to work with a qualified divorce attorney who has experience with the divorce discovery process and hidden assets. Unfortunately, when a spouse hides assets, it can lengthen the cost and time of divorce. Experienced legal representation can help you navigate investigations ..read more

An essential aspect of a divorce is exchanging financial information through the process of discovery. Discovery is necessary to understand the full financial picture of the divorce, which then helps determine property division, spousal support, and other aspects of a divorce settlement. Discovery can be informal, or it can be court-ordered. An experienced Metro East divorce attorney is a necessary ally when navigating a court-ordered formal divorce. Formal and informal discovery allows spouses to exchange important information about assets, debts, and other resources. While informal discovery ..read more

An estate plan is a set of documents that protects your estate during your lifetime and provides instructions for its distribution after your death. A comprehensive estate plan can also provide you with end-of-life care, limit family disputes, and keep your estate out of probate court. A Metro East estate planning attorney is an essential ally to tailor an estate plan to your unique needs and create a legally valid set of documents. There are several benefits to having an estate plan, whether you have a large estate or a small number of assets. It limits the tax consequences on your heirs, pro ..read more

A gray divorce is a divorce between spouses over the age of 50 or 60, which has become more common in the United States in recent years. Younger couples are waiting longer to get married or not getting married, making the marriage rate decrease. However, divorce rates among older couples have increased. Divorce is rarely easy for any couple, but a gray divorce brings additional challenges, financial complications, and emotional difficulties that are not present in every divorce. Couples who decide to get a gray divorce may be making the right choice for themselves and their future, but it’s es ..read more

There are many ways adoption can change a family for the better. A step-parent may wish to adopt their step-child to bring their family closer together and ensure parental rights. A couple or individual may want to expand their family with a new child. Adoption can be wonderful, but it can also be stressful and complicated. There are some basic things you want to understand about adoption in Illinois before you begin the process. Legal Criteria to Adopt in Metro East, Illinois Under Illinois law, a child of any age can be legally adopted. If the child is over the age of 14, any adoption requir ..read more

A collaborative divorce is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that allows divorcing couples to settle their separation outside of court. It focuses on spouses collaborating with each other and their individual attorneys on a separation agreement rather than arguing against each other in litigation. Collaborative divorces can even be useful for some contentious divorces. The Process of Collaborative Divorces In a collaborative divorce, both spouses are represented by an attorney, and these parties work together to craft a separation agreement in a non-adversarial procedure. When beg ..read more

Many people create a will to outline how their assets and estates are managed and distributed after their death. A will names an executor to manage your will and lists your heirs. Will contests can come from creditors, heirs, family members, or other interested parties. If a will contest is successful, your wishes won’t be adhered to. To protect your interests, it’s important to understand how contests happen and what you can do to mitigate a successful will contest. Will Contest Grounds Wills can only be contested on valid grounds. An heir can’t contest a will because they are upset at the am ..read more

Divorce is a hard decision for couples to make, even if it’s the right choice for you and your family. If you and your spouse have kids together, this can make the situation even harder. Divorce is never easy on kids, and it can be challenging for parents to know how to tell their kids about divorce. Depending on a child’s age, they may have a hard time processing what divorce is or may think they did something to cause the separation. Oftentimes, parents have had more time to emotionally prepare for divorce, while for children, it is likely a complete surprise. Your kids will have to deal wit ..read more

In the legal world, as in many other areas of life, people commonly mistake or misuse words. Colloquialisms and casual use can lead to a broad misunderstanding of what a word actually means. This can cause confusion and other problems in a myriad of situations. Many people use divorce and annulment to mean nearly the same thing. In reality, the two processes are starkly different. If you are considering divorce or annulment, it is essential that you understand the difference. That way, you can make empowered decisions about your future. What Is a Divorce? Although many people understand divorc ..read more