Posted by Erin Birt | May 11, 2016 | 0 Comments
Hiring the right lawyer can be a critical decision in any legal matter, but it can be invaluable in your divorce planning–especially if the process will include some type of family mediation or collaboration. In a recent article on Mediate.com, mediator Justin Kelsey outlines some effective ques...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Apr 27, 2016 | 0 Comments
If the cost of an attorney is keeping you from finalizing your Illinois divorce, Limited Scope representation could help you complete the process effectively without spending more than you would like or can afford. In short, you're hiring a lawyer to help you represent yourself. HOW DOES IT WOR...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Apr 13, 2016 | 0 Comments
Your first marriage ended in divorce, but you and your ex used divorce mediation to set up a workable parenting plan for your minor children. Now your second marriage is ending, and your current spouse wants you to rework that initial parenting plan in favor of your current family. The good news...
Continue ReadingPosted by Erin Birt | Mar 30, 2016 | 0 Comments
Social media has become the place to share meaningful life occasions such as birthdays, engagements, marriages…and now divorces. ENTER “DIVORCE SELFIES” The growing trend of “divorce selfies” shows newly divorced couples happily together, often outside the courthouse, after finalizing this majo...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 18, 2016 | 0 Comments
Summarized below are two recent court rulings involving spousal maintenance and child custody issues in two Illinois divorce cases. SPOUSAL MAINTENANCE – In re Marriage of Roberts After 37 years of marriage, a public school teacher filed for dissolution of marriage from her husband, a disabled ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 02, 2016 | 0 Comments
Good lawyers commit themselves to helping their clients in every possible way. While there's great satisfaction in this, there can also be a fair amount of stress that comes along with it. Add any personal issues into the mix, and the pressure can lead to unhealthy coping responses. If you are o...
Continue ReadingPosted by Erin Birt | Feb 27, 2016 | 0 Comments
Divorce planning for parents with a child in or on route to college includes navigating some potentially difficult issues to ensure the best possible financial aid benefits. According to a recent article by Andrea Williams on USNews.com, there are three specific areas that can affect the child's...
Continue ReadingPosted by Erin Birt | Feb 02, 2016 | 0 Comments
For the past several months, I've been providing information on the new Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act that went into effect on January 1, 2016. Outlined below are a few more important changes from a recent article by P. André Katz and Erin B. Bodendorfer in the Illinois Bar J...
Continue ReadingPosted by Erin Birt | Jan 15, 2016 | 0 Comments
Does the joint parenting agreement from your Illinois divorce need updating? It might, based on several new family and divorce laws taking effect in 2016. Parents who are already divorced or still in the process of divorce planning should be aware of how these changes will affect them and of the...
Continue ReadingPosted by Erin Birt | Jan 06, 2016 | 0 Comments
Post-divorce custodial parents and children looking to relocate inside or outside of Illinois should be aware of new laws and procedures for this situation effective in 2016. There are new Illinois laws for post divorce child relocation. See the brief outline below, and consider reviewing your s...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Dec 24, 2015 | 0 Comments
Illinois parents who are considering or actively involved in divorce proceedings in 2016 should be aware of Parenting Plan Changes for Illinois Divorces. This changes both how Illinois Divorce Attorneys are creating and maintaining a post-divorce parenting plans. Here are the details. NEW FILIN...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Dec 17, 2015 | 0 Comments
Next on the list of 2016 changes to Illinois divorce planning are updates to the Temporary Support laws, affecting both temporary spousal maintenance and temporary child support. This means that temporary financial support hearings will no longer be summary in nature. Rather, the Court will hold ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Dec 09, 2015 | 0 Comments
One often-overlooked challenge of divorce planning is time. In addition to regular life activities, divorcing couples must also research information, complete a variety of documents, meet with their attorneys, and attend any number of court proceedings. Important and necessary as they are, these...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Dec 03, 2015 | 0 Comments
Among the specific changes being made to Illinois divorce laws in 2016 are new statues around parentage rights. Key changes in the New Illinois Parentage Laws in 2016 are as follows: New Illinois Parentage Laws NEW PARENTAGE ACT – The Parentage Act of 2015 goes into effect on January 1, 2016, a...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Nov 10, 2015 | 0 Comments
As of January 1, 2016, Illinois will be streamlining the specific grounds one can use to plead for divorce. This won't negate the valid reasons that bring couples to divorce planning, only the way in which a divorce attorney can present them in court. OLD ILLINOIS DIVORCE GROUNDS At this point...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Nov 06, 2015 | 0 Comments
Illinois couples with children who are planning a divorce now or in the near future should note that Illinois divorce laws will change on January 1, 2016. The new Illinois Divorce Act will likely have a significant impact on how your divorce is ultimately resolved. Learn in this post how the new ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Oct 28, 2015 | 0 Comments
Although it seems unfair, your personal 401(k) retirement plan is considered marital property and, as such, is subject to the same rules as other marital possessions in a divorce. A recent article by Jerry Shaw on NewsMax.com offered advice on how to ensure this asset is shared equitably between ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Oct 09, 2015 | 0 Comments
The HuffPost Divorce page recently presented advice from readers/bloggers on how they made their divorce process and co-parenting situations a bit easier to handle. These are all fairly simple suggestions, yet they can create amazingly beneficial results. This post will reveal the best advice on ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Sep 29, 2015 | 0 Comments
Although you're not dealing with child custody and visitation issues, a divorce can be just as or even more difficult for grown children than for younger ones. The good news is that there are a few more ways for helping adult children accept your divorce and move on. This post will provide tips ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Aug 25, 2015 | 0 Comments
To get through your divorce with the best concessions in place, hiring a lawyer is always a good idea. To reach those concessions through effective communication and negotiation versus anger and conflict, hiring a lawyer such as a Mediation Consulting Attorney will help you determine those best c...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jul 30, 2015 | 0 Comments
If divorce has been put on the table by you or your spouse, stop and consider one very important thing: Are you truly ready for all the emotional and legal issues that come with divorce planning? Is divorce truly the best solution? This idea is explored in a recent article on Mediate.com titled ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jul 20, 2015 | 0 Comments
The Illinois General Assembly has passed a major update to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). If signed by the Governor, the new IMDMA will offer many positive changes for divorcing couples in Illinois. Here is an outline of proposed changes to the Illinois Marriage a...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jul 10, 2015 | 0 Comments
Anyone dealing with legal issues, divorce in particular, deserves to have all the information necessary to make the best possible decisions. This can be tricky if you're not a legal professional or can't afford one to help you, but a new Illinois policy will help change this for the better. This ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jun 23, 2015 | 0 Comments
The recent Illinois Appeals Court case In re Marriage of Perez shows that the courts now favor a decision of joint custody (often without naming a custodial parent) for minor children in divorce cases. Yet this is not always the best outcome for the children, writes Champaign County Circuit Judg...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jun 18, 2015 | 0 Comments
For divorcing families, the mediation process can be extremely helpful but also quite stressful. If anyone in the family struggles with alcohol abuse, they may manage their anxiety by coming to sessions under the influence–making the process more challenging for the mediator as well as the partic...
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