What Young Adults Should Know About Divorce

 Posted on November 14, 2023 in Divorce

Getting married young is not always a great thing. People in their late teens or early twenties may not have fully grown into their adult personalities or truly realized their identity yet. It is common for those who marry young also to divorce young. In fact, young divorce should likely be more common than it is. Many individuals who are getting divorced in middle age or later adulthood have been unhappy in their marriages for a very long time - often since they were roughly your age. In many ways, ending an unhappy marriage while you are still in your 20s or early 30s is the smart move. Even if you have young children together, separating and co-parenting is likely better for your child than staying together but making each other miserable. It is important to be represented by a lawyer with experience representing young adults in divorce, as there are specific issues more likely to affect them. 

Legal Issues for Young Adults in Divorce Cases

Certain legal issues in divorce might affect young adults differently than they might affect older people who have been married for a very long time. Issues you and your lawyer might need to address with care include: 

• Limiting marital property - It is a common misconception that everything a married person owns is also the property of their spouse. In Illinois, a married person can have separate property - property their spouse has no claim to. Your separate property generally includes anything you personally owned before you got married and anything you personally received as a gift. This may be quite a large portion of your belongings. 
• Pursuing spousal support - Illinois courts generally disfavor alimony. If you are young, you may not have been married long enough to qualify for spousal support. This may be worrisome if you are a homemaker and lack job qualifications. However, many factors courts consider when deciding whether a person needs alimony will likely weigh against you. Unless you have disabilities or care for a disabled child of the marriage, the court will likely determine that you can support yourself. Short-term support may be possible in some cases. 
• Lack of a prenuptial agreement - People who marry young are less likely to have a prenuptial agreement in place. There are a number of possible explanations for this, such as that young adults are less likely to have a lot of property to protect and, therefore, do not see a need for one. However, it does mean that each issue in your divorce will need to be resolved at this time. 

It is important to be represented by a lawyer while you are going through your divorce. The process can be complicated and confusing, so you will want an attorney who is skilled at navigating divorce. 

Contact a Naperville, IL, Divorce Lawyer 

Law Office of Ronald L. Hendrix, P.C. is highly experienced in guiding young adults, older adults, and anyone in between through the divorce process. Our dedicated DuPage County, IL divorce attorneys will work closely with you throughout the proceedings in our efforts to achieve the result you need. Contact us at 630-355-7776 for a complimentary consultation.