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Your Love Deal: Solutions that Work
Category: Divorce
New Illinois Law on Spousal Maintenance
The Illinois law related to spousal maintenance (formerly called alimony) changed on January 1, and here’s what it means for divorcing spouses. The Illinois courts now follow “guidelines” on spousal maintenance which will likely be more equitable for both spouses. The income threshold changed to a combined income of $500,000, up from $250,000. The wording […]
Making Divorce Less Stressful
No one at the altar ever believes they’ll face their spouse in the courtroom, but divorce happens in nearly half of all marriages. If you’ve tried unsuccessfully to work out your issues and a divorce seems imminent, you first step is to figure out what kind of divorce you want. Will it be filled with […]
Steps to Choosing the Right Divorce Lawyer
Whether you’re only thinking about divorce or ready to move forward, one of your first steps should be a meeting with a qualified family law attorney. Understandably, there’s a certain level of fear and uncertainty at this time in your life, especially related to finances and parenting rights. The initial consultation with a lawyer is […]
How Online Divorces Fail
We live so much of our love lives online: meet our match, announce our relationship status, evite friends to showers and weddings, get gifted with online registers, and plan honeymoons through brand-name travel sites. What about legally ending a marriage online? It sounds very appealing and blessedly impersonal. Everyone dreads the messiness of he said/she […]
Divorce-proof Your Marriage After Retirement
These days it’s common to see couples divorcing later in life, particularly after one of the spouses retires. Once a couple is faced with spending more time together, they may find their interests aren’t as compatible as they once were. Add to that women’s financial independence and the fact that divorce no longer has the […]
After the Divorce, Focus on your Financial Future
One good result of a divorce, whether you like it or not, is that you have learned more about your finances than you knew before. Most married couples live together secretly blaming each other for the financial shortfalls, but once a marriage is over, you are in control of your own destiny. How you deal with […]
There is no doubt that orders of protection are an essential tool to protect against domestic abuse. We lawyers have seen them arguably save lives and certainly prevent physical or psychological abuse. An example of how they work to benefit a victim is evident in the heated divorce proceeding in L.A. of former Spice Girls, […]
Divorce Filing in the New Year
For better or worse, most couples in unhappy relationships hold off separating or divorcing until after the New Year. Capitalizing on the momentum that the New Year brings and the chance for a new beginning can bring new energy for people who want to improve their lives. If your marriage is broken beyond repair, why […]
The Financial Realities of Divorce
August 2016 Separating the emotional aspects of divorce from the financial realities is critical. Gemma Allen writes about the issue in a blog post on Chicago Woman.
Prenups Are about Love
August 2016 Prenups are about making a love commitment, according to Gemma Allen, who explains why she believes that is true in this post on Chicago Woman.