On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Tuesday, February 18, 2014. Most Illinois readers understand that a good credit rating is an important financial tool and look for ways to improve it. Married couples probably wouldn’t consider divorce a good way to go about raising their scores; however, a survey taken by Credit.com indicates that, in some cases, ending a marriage might have a positive impact on a credit score. The survey consisted of 526 divorced individuals with varied levels of income, age and education. Nearly 30 percent ofContinue reading
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Moving a child out-of-state after a divorce
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Friday, February 14, 2014. When an Illinois couple divorces, they might not think about the future of their children if the custodial parent has a job or school offer, remarries or needs the support of family. While sometimes those life changes occur within the state, in other cases, they require the custodial parent to pack up and move, including the child. A judge will make the final decision on child custody matters, but laws vary according to state. SomeContinue reading
Cellphone data could prove cohabitation
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Friday, February 7, 2014. Illinois residents may be interested in how to prove that their former spouse is cohabiting with a new partner. In most divorces, the payment of alimony is dependent on the receiving spouse remaining single. Therefore, spouses who receive alimony are reluctant to disclose a cohabiting relationship because it could bring an end to the spousal support. Paying spouses, on the other hand, would often prefer for a cohabiting relationship to be disclosed as early as possible.Continue reading
Illinois man arrested for abducting his daughter at gunpoint
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, February 5, 2014. State police put out an AMBER alert for a 3-year-old girl after the father allegedly kidnapped the child from her home in Lansing the evening of Jan 23. According to police statements, the man wielded a handgun and forcefully entered his ex-girlfriend’s residence on 175th Street. He took the child and left the scene in a black SUV. Reports didn’t specify whether the parents had a child custody arrangement in place. Law enforcement responded at approximately 8:15 p.m.Continue reading
More states move toward shared custody
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Thursday, January 30, 2014. Chicago parents may be interested in proposed laws around the country that promote shared custody of children by divorcing parents. Many of the new laws would suggest or require judges to award equal custody between parents unless there is some compelling reason not to do so, such as a history of abuse by one parent. Advocates say that children benefit when they spend the same amount of time with each parent. Arkansas recently changed itsContinue reading
Is there a season for divorce?
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Tuesday, January 21, 2014. Illinois residents know that January is filled with new beginnings and resolutions for the upcoming year. Some may call January “Divorce Month,” and according to some experts, it is the time in which many people decide to start researching their options. Visits to popular websites focusing on divorce peaked in January between 2008 and 2011. However, some studies indicate that many people wait until March before they make their final decisions. Another popular time for filing divorce isContinue reading
Plan ahead and protect your assets before divorce
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Tuesday, January 14, 2014. When divorce is inevitable, it makes sense to consider financial planning for the ease and benefit of everyone affected. In Illinois, there are obvious economic issues to address like child support, spousal support, and property division, but in the event a divorce will not likely be amicable, it is important to take precautions to protect your assets. Before filing for divorce, take a deep breath, create a file from copies of your financial records goingContinue reading
Various real estate options exist for divorcing homeowners
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Sunday, January 12, 2014. When a Chicago-area couple undergoing divorce owns a home and struggles to divide assets, there are various ways to address this looming challenge. In many cases, it can make sense for one spouse to remain in the home while the other continues to pay his or her share of the mortgage. This may be a recommended scenario as a short or mid-term solution if a fixed mortgage is involved and moving elsewhere would be expensive. For thisContinue reading
Unwed father sues for wrongful adoption
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Unmarried Couples on Wednesday, January 8, 2014. A $130 million federal lawsuit recently filed by an unwed father offers inspiration for Illinois dads in similar situations. The plaintiff, a Utah man, is suing his son’s mother for allegedly placing their child for adoption without prior paternal knowledge or proper consent. He further alleges the agency and adoptive parents conspired in an “illegal” and deceitful infant adoption to “deprive” him of custody. Court papers indicate that the unmarried couple separated before the baby’sContinue reading
Teenage girl held in hospital custody for 10 months
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Thursday, January 2, 2014. Chicago residents may be interested in an unusual case involving a teenage girl who has been held against her parents’ wishes in a children’s psychiatric unit for the past ten months. The child custody case began when the 15-year-old girl was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital in February with symptoms that were supposedly linked to a mitochondrial disease. She had been diagnosed with the disease by a doctor at Tufts Medical Center. The girl spent three daysContinue reading