Even the best laid plans can be easily derailed by reality. For example, many Illinois couples plan for both partners to continue working after they have children. But once kids are in the picture those plans might change. It is not uncommon for one parent -- quite often the mother…
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Divorce rarely comes as a total surprise. Both partners are likely fully aware of marital conflict by the time they reach the point of divorce. However, even if a person believes that divorce is in his or her future, the exact timing of it might be a mystery. There are…
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It often feels as if there is a never-ending number of details that one must attend to both prior to and during a divorce. Issues such as child custody, property division and child support are often at the top of the list, but solely thinking about these matters may cause…
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Men and women alike face unique challenges during divorce, but a report indicates that many women in Illinois face more burdens than their exes. This is not the result of just one factor but of many, ranging from finances to child custody. Although financial support such as alimony might help…
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There are many uncertainties when filing for divorce. A person cannot be certain of the outcome regarding things like property division, child custody and more. This is also true of spousal maintenance. Although many Illinois residents believe that spousal maintenance is a given, this is not always the case. A judge…
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There are many parts of a person's life that can be rocked by the decision to divorce his or her spouse in Illinois. Divorcing couples face challenges as they separate years of shared life from finances to children. Often, the process of beginning to live life independently can be unsettling…
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As your divorce moves through the court process in Illinois, one requirement you may be given is that you provide alimony for your former spouse. While you may have softly anticipated this, hearing that you are still responsible for sustaining your ex's lifestyle may be a bit unnerving. At Butler,…
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A common assumption that many of those entering into divorce proceedings in Peoria often have is that alimony will automatically be a part of their divorce settlement. Their assumptions likely come from hearing stories in popular media of renowned divorce cases involving disputes over spousal maintenance. Yet the truth is…
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Sometimes divorce comes unexpectedly for homemakers in Illinois. One minute, a couple is roaming the world hand-in-hand, and the next, the breadwinner announces that they are leaving for a younger or wealthier partner. When this happens, resentment and already bad spending habits can cause many homemakers to continue living the…
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More women in Illinois are in the workforce today than ever before. Many wives also make more money than their spouses. Because of this and a gradual equalizing of gender roles, more men are asking for alimony after divorce. A Reuters article published in the Financial Post confirms that divorce…
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It's no secret that divorces can be expensive. This is especially true if you're ordered to remit spousal support, which can be challenging when starting over after the end of your marriage. Proper budgeting is crucial for staying current on this and other recurring payments, as explained by The Balance. Make…
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If you are seeking spousal maintenance as part of divorce proceedings in Illinois this year, you should know that changes to laws governing spousal maintenance at both the state and federal level have recently gone into effect. The changes could have an impact on the amount that you either receive…
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Paying spousal support can be incredibly tough for those going through financial hardships, such as someone who has lost their job or a person who is struggling with a health problem that is very costly to deal with. These situations can result in a great deal of stress, especially for…
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Bringing your marriage to an end could change your life in all sorts of ways, some of which may be for the better. However, it may also bring up various issues that you need to consider, such as consequences for failing to pay child support or alimony. If you are…
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Our blog has addressed some of the reasons why people are no longer able to stay current on their spousal support payment, such as financial difficulties that have resulted from the loss of a job. However, there are other reasons people may find themselves in this position. For example, you…
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This blog has covered some of the different consequences that come with falling behind on spousal support, such as the amount of stress that people may experience when they are unable to stay current. Moreover, the IRS states that back spousal support can lead to the interception of tax refunds. However,…
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On this blog, we have gone over various spousal support issues, such as being unable to make your payments due to the recent loss of your job, as well as other family law issues which can have a financial impact, such as the interception of your tax refund due to…
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Divorce can bring up many questions and a host of stressors, whether couples are unsure about how custody will be awarded or have uncertainty about the manner in which marital property will be split between each party. That said, spousal support is an issue that can be particularly stressful for…
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Whether you were laid off due to the seasonal nature of your line of work or you were fired for an unexpected reason, moving forward after the loss of your job can be very challenging. Worse yet, you may face financial difficulties that prevent you from paying bills, staying current…
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In recent years, some people have found themselves out of work for one reason or another. In Peoria, and across Illinois, labor market conditions can make it tricky for people in this position to find more work. If you have recently lost your job, you may be wondering how to handle…
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If you are required to pay spousal support, there are various issues you may have to consider. For example, you may be having a hard time making your payments due to financial hardships you are facing because of a health condition that caught you off guard or the loss of your…
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In an Illinois marriage, couples often compromise on which of their careers they will make their decisions based on. Pay, benefits and location are often factors that lead to valuing the job of one spouse over the other. When it comes time to make changes, such as staying home with…
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While you may have thought that all negotiations ended when the judge declared you legally divorced, the truth is that there are many circumstances that may require you to revisit your agreements and evaluate whether changes are needed. This often needs to be done in an Illinois courtroom to ensure…
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For Illinois couples experiencing marital strain, divorce is a welcomed alternative to resolve strenuous differences. However, divorce brings with it a significant number of implications that must be addressed to reach a mutual agreement that is beneficial for both parties. Some of the decisions that need to be made are…
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If you have been granted alimony by an Illinois judge, it indicates that your marriage and divorce have put you at a disadvantage financially. The support you get from your ex-spouse is not intended to be a punishment for him or her, but a way to prevent that hardship from…
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Spousal support, which is called spousal maintenance in Illinois, is a common order that may have been made in your divorce case. It is usually decided by a judge because it is rarely easy to come to an agreement through negotiations, based on our experience at Butler, Giraudo & Meister.…
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Marriage entails sacrifices on the part of both spouses, and this may lead to one of them giving up a professional career and economic independence to care for their children. Divorce leaves both affected spousal parties in a state of uneven economic status. To balance this out, one ex-spouse may…
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Spousal support or alimony is the amount of money awarded to one of the former spouses after a couple gets divorced. Spousal support may be agreed upon by the couple prior to the divorce, or a court may take this decision. The primary goal of spousal support is to mitigate…
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Often times after a divorce, one of the former spouses will try to get out of paying alimony to their ex-partner. If the courts discover this violation of the divorce orders they pronounced, they have recourse to a number of methods to make the person pay alimony. A judge has…
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The days of the husband paying for an ex-wife's upkeep are long gone. These days, alimony can be awarded to either of the spouses. Courts in Illinois don't ask for proof of fault or marital misconduct when deciding how much alimony is to be paid. There are other factors that…
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A significant shift has been witnessed in the divorce laws of Illinois. These changes are of prime importance for men going through a divorce. While in the past the father had to pay more and lose custody of the child as well, the law has now been amended to allow for a…
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Alimony, also called spousal support, refers to provisions made by one spouse to another after a separation or divorce. Alimony is not a requirement for divorce, and nowadays most courts stay away from granting alimony. It is up to the judge, however, to decide whether alimony orders need to be…
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Alimony can be defined as one spouse's payment to the other spouse after separation or divorce. The alimony you are required to pay can be deducted. The recipient of the alimony is either your spouse, former spouse or in some cases a third party may receive the payments on behalf…
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The entire divorce process is mentally and emotionally taxing, but one incredibly challenging piece of it is spousal maintenance, or spousal support (formerly called "alimony.") The purpose of spousal maintenance is to aid the spouse who would face greater economic hardship or be unable to maintain the same standard of…
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The flow of information each person in Illinois endures on a daily basis is monumental. At times a person may feel like the bears you see in nature shows that stand in rushing white water trying to catch a salmon. Some bears are lucky and get what they're after. Most…
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