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
Category Archives: Family Law
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
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
Man in reduced circumstances jailed for missing alimony
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. A family court judge has ordered that an ex-husband mired in financial difficulties remain confined to a work-release program where he must spend his nights and weekends in jail. In order to secure his release, the man must pay a lump sum of $25,000 toward more than $233,000 of spousal support that he owes his former wife. Jailed at least eight times in the past two years for missing child support payments, the man formerly worked asContinue reading
Chicago fathers’ rights could be leveraged in fake pregnancy scam
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Unmarried Couples on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. In a case that could happen in Chicago or anywhere with trusting friends, a couple bilked everyone around them by claiming that the wife had miscarried twins. The fact was, there would never have been a child custody battle with this alleged mother and father, since the pregnancy was never real in the first place. The duo received money for funeral expenses and other supposed costs due to the nonexistent tragedy. They also received jail time onceContinue reading
Mediation in Illinois useful in post-divorce scenarios
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Wednesday, August 28, 2013. Even when an initial legal split between a couple with children is amicable, unforeseen issues can arise months or years later that can complicate relations between ex-spouses and bring negative emotions to the forefront. One way to ease tensions from the outset is to use a neutral third party or mediator when going through the divorce process in Illinois. Emotional issues often come to the forefront during and after divorce. Instead of resorting to litigation to solve aContinue reading
Methods to improve communication with your ex
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Thursday, August 15, 2013. Illinois couples who have gotten a divorce might be wondering why they still have to communicate with their ex. However, if they have children involved, then they might have to suffer through some sort of communication with their exes regardless of their emotions. According to Huffington Post, there are various ways that people can improve their communication with their exes after divorce. The first strategy that they can use is to simply regard their exes as strangers.Continue reading
Unsealed birth certificates can change adoptees’ lives
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Tuesday, August 6, 2013. For many adoptees, their inability to reach their birth parents causes a void that can’t be filled. Sealed birth certificates have made it very difficult for many people to find their birth parents, though it is not impossible and often very expensive. However, a small group of states, including Illinois, have unsealed their birth certificates, providing access for adopted children, making the search for their birth parents easier. Only 8,800 Illinois adoptees have actually requestedContinue reading