Divorce involves much more than ending the marriage relationship. Divorcing spouses must also allocate the property they have earned throughout the marriage. If you or your spouse own business interests, real estate, stocks, investments, and other complex assets, property distribution will be especially challenging. Spouses have a right to an equitable share of the marital assets during divorce, however, some spouses try to cheat the other spouse by lying about financial concerns during a divorce. Hiding assets is unlawful and it can impact the outcome of your divorce dramatically. It is important for spouses to recognize signs of financial fraud during divorce and take swift action.

Signs Your Spouse May Try to Lie About Finances During Divorce

Nearly every aspect of the divorce process is influenced by finances. The distribution of assets and debts, child support, and spousal maintenance or alimony are all directly impacted by the spouses’ financial resources. Some spouses try to gain an advantage by undervaluing assets, overvaluing debts, or failing to disclose assets. If you are getting divorced, make sure to look for signs your spouse may be hiding assets or otherwise trying to manipulate the outcome of your divorce:

• Secrecy about financial matters – If your spouse is trying to keep financial information a secret from you, this is a major red flag. Changing the passwords on online bank accounts, hiding or destroying financial documents, and deleting computer programs or files containing financial information may all be signs of financial deception.

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The internet has become a huge part of most people’s everyday lives. We can pay our bills, shop, or even get a degree, all from our home computer. If you are thinking about divorce, you may wonder if you can reduce divorce costs and speed up the process through an online divorce or “do it yourself” divorce. While the idea of a DIY divorce may initially seem attractive, many people who choose this route are met with unforeseen consequences.

DIY Divorce Services are One-Size-Fits-All

Getting divorced is one of the most significant things you will ever do. The financial, legal, and personal implications of your divorce will likely affect you for years after the split.  So-called “online divorce” usually consists of little more than forms that you can fill out with basic information. These divorce services are one-size-fits-all and do not take into account the particulars of your situation

You Could Make Costly Mistakes that Drag Out the Divorce

Most people look into DIY divorce because they are hoping to save money. However, when considering the cost of your divorce, you must also consider the long-term financial consequences of your actions. If you make a mistake during the divorce process, you may suffer financial consequences for years.

Developing a parenting plan is often one of the hardest parts of an Illinois divorce. If you are a divorcing parent, you may have many different questions and concerns about child custody. You may be worried that you will not get to spend enough time with your kids after divorce. You may also have questions about your rights as a parent under Illinois law. One aspect of the parenting plan many people misunderstand or overlook is the “right of first refusal.”

Parenting Time Schedules in an Illinois Divorce

Illinois law no longer refers to “child custody” and “visitation.” Instead, the law breaks parenting duties into two components:

• Parental responsibilities – Parental responsibilities are how parents make decisions about their children such as where the child goes to school or the types of medical care the child gets.

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The complexity of a divorce case depends on how quickly and easily spouses can resolve divorce issues. Spouses must divide debts and assets, handle child-related concerns like child custody and child support, and determine if one spouse will pay spousal maintenance to the other. When a couple owns a business or professional practice or other complex assets, property division will be much more involved. Disputes regarding parenting time and responsibilities can also complicate the divorce process considerably.

In situations such as these, spouses have several options: They can pursue traditional divorce litigation or they can use an alternative divorce resolution method like collaborative law.

What is a Collaborative Divorce?

Divorcing spouses often want to resolve divorce issues with as little hostility as possible. Contentiousness adds to the stress and expense of a divorce. If you are interested in resolving your divorce amicably, but you still want guidance from divorce professionals, collaborative divorce may be right for you. In a collaborative divorce, both spouses hire their own attorneys. However, the attorneys and the spouses work collaboratively to resolve divorce issues.

Every parent dreams of the perfect family. Unfortunately, many parents reach a point where they realize that getting divorced may be the best option for them and their children. When kids are constantly exposed to their parents’ hostility and disagreement, they can suffer emotionally, developmentally, and academically. For some families, divorce is the right option.

If you are ready to call it quits on your marriage and get divorced, you have probably spent a good deal of time thinking about how to tell the children. When is the best time to tell children about divorce? How much information should I tell them? What if my spouse is not ready to announce the separation?

Plan the Conversation Carefully

Telling your children that you and their other parent are divorcing is one of the most important conversations of your life. Consequentially, it is important to decide in advance what you will say and when. Experts explain that it is best to wait until you are absolutely certain before you tell the children about the divorce. If possible, sit down with your soon-to-be-ex and all of your shared children and have the conversation as a group. If you have children of varying ages, you may need to go back and have age-appropriate follow-up conversations with each child specifically. However, the first announcement should occur with every child present. Telling one child before the others can make them feel as if they have to lie to their siblings – which can increase their stress.