On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Thursday, November 21, 2013. Two recent incidents of false allegations of child abuse have received a fair amount of publicity in Illinois and around the country. Parents in Texas have lost child custody after doctors or other individuals reported signs of abuse, only to later discover that the children were affected by a rare medical condition that was responsible for these injuries. After being indicted by a grand jury for second degree felony injury to a child, a father looked forContinue reading
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Social Security benefits and divorce
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Monday, November 18, 2013. Residents of Illinois who are divorced often have questions as to the effect that the dissolution of their marriage will have on their right to receive Social Security benefits. In actuality, a person who has gone through a divorce may be able to collect retirement benefits based upon the work record of his or her ex-spouse, assuming certain conditions are satisfied. At the outset, divorced spouses must be unmarried and at least 62 years old, must haveContinue reading
Don’t let a prenup be invalidated
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Wednesday, November 13, 2013. Illinois residents with significant wealth or real estate that they wish to protect may ask their betrothed to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage. A prenuptial agreement can ensure that in the case of a divorce, assets enumerated in the agreement remain in the hands of the person who owned them prior to the marriage. In addition, a premarital agreement can predetermine issues related to spousal support. As such, a premarital agreement can reduce the likelihood ofContinue reading
More grandparents living with grandkids
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Monday, November 11, 2013. A new study shows that the face of caregivers is changing. This may be in part to a higher divorce rate among Illinois couples and other couples throughout the country. More children are living with their grandparents, compared to previous decades. The revelation was made through a study that researched the changes in American society. With the increase in divorce and remarriage, grandparents have been fulfilling childcare roles. According to the study, 13 percent of the populationContinue reading
What high asset couples should consider in a prenuptial agreement
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Friday, November 8, 2013. Chicago-area fans may wish newly engaged Kim Kardashian and Kanye West well on their marriage. At the same time, they may wish the couple to have a prenuptial agreement to protect their interests, especially when it comes to Kardashian’s track record: Her last marriage ended after 72 days. A prenuptial agreement makes good sense for the celebrity couple since both have substantial assets they will bring to the marriage. Kardashian is worth an estimated $40 millionContinue reading
Illinois parents frustrated by lack of child support
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Support on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. Divorced custodial parents throughout Illinois are expressing their frustration withthe state’s child support system. They allege that the system is unable to effectively help them collect child support that they desperately need. On a national level, child support collections were increasing until the start of the economic downturn in 2008. Many parents now must often return to court multiple times in order to obtain the support that had already been ordered. However, some cases are particularly difficultContinue reading
Illinois divorce cases may benefit from testimony of experts
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Wednesday, October 30, 2013. Divorce proceedings can be complicated and divisive, particularly when it comes to custodial and financial issues. While some separating couples are able to agree on most matters, not every divorce proceeds this smoothly. Experts are therefore often used to help resolve certain conflicts. These professionals can be court-ordered or privately retained, and their opinions are often afforded considerable weight by a judge. Child custody and visitation is often a contentious issue, and a psychological expert can be calledContinue reading
Advance planning can negate some mistakes in divorce proceedings
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Illinois residents thinking about a divorce should consider asking themselves a few questions ending their marriage. Advance planning can cut down on the mistakes people getting divorced make. For openers, a person should meet with a financial planner to understand their financial picture before property division is started. For example, one spouse may desperately want the house, but if they don’t have the resources to support it following the divorce, there is no reason to fightContinue reading
Tips for unwed dads in Illinois
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Friday, October 18, 2013. As difficult as custody and child support issues can be for a couple when they are getting a divorce, the subject can become even more complex if the parents were never married. This can be especially so for unwed fathers. There are many incorrect assumptions that such fathers often make that can keep them from fully taking advantage of their rights and being aware of their parental obligations. One major misapprehension is that the signing ofContinue reading
Illinois same-sex couples may have to file separately
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Wednesday, October 16, 2013. Illinois residents may have heard that while the IRS has stated that it will allow same-sex couples to file joint federal tax returns, in early October, some states moved to disrupt such trends at lower levels. In places like Kansas and North Dakota, officials have written letters and made declarations that same-sex couples will have to file single rather than joint state tax returns. Reports did not say how these new rule-making attempts might playContinue reading