Posted on April 29, 2021 in Child Custody

UPDATE: This post was originally published in March 2015. Since January 1, 2016, Illinois law no longer uses the terms "custody" and "visitation" to refer to arrangements between a child's legal parents. Instead, in a divorce, both parents are usually granted a share of parenting time, meaning that the child will spend significant time living with both parents. This language treats parents more equally, but one parent may still have a larger share of parenting time based on the child's best interests. Additionally, parenting time can be restricted for a parent who endangers a child's health or well-being.

The term "visitation" is still used for grandparents, siblings, and other relatives who seek to secure the legal right to spend time with a child. However, legal action of this nature is usually only warranted when the child's parents are preventing a relative from seeing the child, and there is evidence that doing so is causing the child harm. If you are seeking visitation as a grandparent or another relative, you will need to demonstrate to the court that your visitation is in the child's best interests.

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 Posted on April 27, 2021 in Visitation

In Illinois, parents have many important issues to resolve during the divorce process, not the least of which is creating a parenting time schedule. Decisions about parenting time will affect the daily lives of both parents and children, so it is important to reach an agreement that meets everyone’s needs and allows for positive parent-child relationships and effective co-parenting.

Understanding some of the basics of parenting time can help you approach this issue in your divorce.

Parenting Time Replaced the Concept of Visitation

Before 2016, Illinois family courts would often grant one parent primary physical custody and the other parent visitation. However, the state legislature recognized that this language tended to favor one parent unnecessarily. It was not reflective of the degree of involvement that most parents have in raising their children during a marriage and after a divorce. As a result, the term “visitation” is no longer used, and both parents are instead allocated a share of parenting time.

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 Posted on April 26, 2021 in Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance, commonly referred to as spousal support or alimony, is not a part of every divorce in Illinois. However, it may be awarded upon the court’s determination that it is warranted to provide for a spouse’s financial needs, or based on an agreement between spouses, such as a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement or a divorce settlement. Maintenance orders typically do not specify what the recipient must use the payments for, but if you are fortunate enough to be granted maintenance in your divorce, it is a good idea to think carefully about how best to use the funds.

How Can Spousal Support Help?

For budgeting purposes, you can think of spousal support similarly to any other source of income, with the added benefit that as of 2019, it is no longer taxable for the recipient. However, support payments usually come with a definitive end date, so it is important to use them to your advantage while they last. Here are some possible uses of maintenance that you may find beneficial:

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 Posted on April 19, 2021 in Property Division

In an Illinois divorce, all property and assets belonging to the marital estate must be distributed fairly between the two spouses. However, certain assets known as non-marital property are not included in the division. If you are preparing for a divorce, it is important to review your finances to identify any non-marital property that you can protect. However, the process of protecting your non-marital assets can begin even before your marriage.

Strategies for Protecting Non-Marital Property

Under Illinois law, non-marital property includes property that was owned by either spouse before the marriage, as well as property acquired by either spouse during the marriage through a gift or inheritance. However, even property of this nature can become a factor in the division of assets if you are not careful to keep it separate from the marital estate. Here are some strategies for protecting your non-marital assets both before and during your marriage:

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 Posted on April 12, 2021 in Property Division

When a couple gets divorced in Illinois, all of their financial assets will need to be considered in order to determine a fair distribution of marital property. Many people are aware that this includes properties like the marital home, vehicles, and joint bank accounts, but it also includes some assets that you may not expect, like businesses and individual retirement accounts. One of the most complicated kinds of assets that may need to be divided in a divorce is a settlement or verdict from a civil lawsuit.

Dividing Personal Injury Settlements and Other Lawsuit Awards

Illinois law differentiates between non-marital property that belongs to one spouse alone and marital property to which both spouses have a right and which must be divided in a divorce. Assets acquired before the marriage or after a judgment of legal separation are typically considered to be non-marital property, while most assets acquired during the marriage are considered to be marital property. These criteria can apply to lawsuit awards in the same way that they do for many other types of assets.

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 Posted on April 05, 2021 in Property Division

The recent passing of the American Rescue Plan Act, including another round of COVID-19 economic impact stimulus payments, has been welcome news for many families who have struggled financially throughout the pandemic. However, if you have been through a divorce in the past year, especially if you have filed taxes jointly with your former spouse, obtaining your share of the stimulus may be more difficult than expected. Understanding your eligibility for the stimulus, as well as how it is distributed, can help you ensure that you receive the funds to which you are entitled.

Who is Eligible for the 2021 Stimulus Payments?

The most recent round of stimulus payments provides up to $1,400 for each U.S. citizen or lawful resident who qualifies based on their adjusted gross income. Individuals qualify for the full amount if their annual income is $75,000 or below, or $112,500 or below if they file as head of household. Married couples who file taxes jointly qualify for $2,800 ($1,400 per spouse) if their adjusted gross income is $150,000 or below. Eligible individuals and couples will also receive $1,400 for each qualified dependent. Individuals and married couples with annual incomes above these thresholds may qualify for reduced stimulus payments, though payments phase out completely at an individual income of $80,000, a head of household income of $120,000, and a married couple income of $160,000.

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 Posted on March 31, 2021 in Divorce

In the midst of the breakdown of a marriage, many people turn to dating or a new romantic partner as a coping mechanism or source of comfort. Starting a new relationship after a divorce is perfectly normal, but attempting to move on too quickly can lead to personal and legal challenges, especially if the divorce is still pending. Nevertheless, if you do find yourself dating during or soon after your divorce, you should be aware of the potential outcomes from a legal standpoint.

Avoid Dissipating Marital Assets

Dating and more serious romantic relationships almost always involve spending money on your date or partner, and this can have a substantial impact on your divorce resolution if you are not careful. Before the divorce is finalized, any marital assets that you use for your own personal purposes, including dating or supporting a new partner, can be considered to have been dissipated. If your spouse becomes aware of this spending behavior, they can file a claim against you, and you may be required to reimburse them as part of the equitable distribution of marital property. Waiting to date until the divorce is finalized can help you avoid this issue.

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 Posted on March 24, 2021 in Child Custody

During the divorce process, parents have many important decisions to make regarding their children, especially when it comes to their living arrangements. Perhaps the most notable decision is how parenting time will be allocated between the two parents, but there are other important details to figure out as well. Some of these include how parents will handle transportation between homes, as well as traveling with their children.

Including Transportation Provisions in Your Parenting Plan

In Illinois, transportation arrangements for the children between the two parents’ homes are part of the minimum requirements to be included in a parenting plan. While such transportation may require a relatively small time commitment, thoughtful arrangements are crucial in order to ensure smooth exchanges and avoid encroaching on the other parent’s scheduled time.

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 Posted on March 17, 2021 in Divorce

Although it is possible to take steps to protect your financial interests during the divorce process, almost everyone comes out of a divorce in a worse financial situation than when they entered it. Between the division of marital assets, the loss of a spouse’s income and benefits, post-divorce support obligations, and the cost of the divorce process itself, it is not uncommon for the recently divorced to face financial stress. However, many people are able to recover over time after taking stock of their new financial reality.

Common Financial Impacts of Divorce

Being well-informed about your finances during the divorce process helps you to make a plan for achieving your goals in the divorce resolution. After the divorce is finalized, though, you should regroup and take the time to consider all of the following ways that your finances may have changed, including:

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 Posted on March 15, 2021 in Family Law

At Davi Law Group, our blog serves as a resource to answer questions and provide information and updates about family and divorce law in Illinois. We address issues related to child custody, parental rights, and adoption to help our readers understand the legal processes involved. Here, we look back at 10 blogs that our readers found most useful in 2020:

1. How Does a Sex Offender Conviction Impact My Parental Rights? - We discuss possible restrictions on parenting time and decision-making due to a parent’s criminal sex offense conviction.
2. DCFS Investigations in Illinois - What Are Your Rights And How Can You Protect Them? - We help parents understand the process of an investigation by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and how they can protect their parental rights.

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