Divorce Attorney Hoffman Estates

Divorce is full of uncertainty and emotional strife, but in addition to this dramatic upheaval, there are complicated legal concerns – that represent your financial and parental rights – that must be resolved. It’s only natural to be at a loss regarding how best to proceed when facing a divorce, but an experienced Hoffman Estates divorce attorney is standing by to help you navigate the difficult path forward while skillfully protecting your parental and financial rights in the process. 

Parental Responsibilities

Child custody in Illinois is now called parental responsibilities and parenting time. Parental responsibilities address the matter of making those important, big-picture parenting decisions that guide your children’s lives, including those related to:

• Their schooling
• Their healthcare
• Their religious upbringing
• Their extracurricular activities 

One parent can take on the sole responsibility of making these decisions, or you can make them together. There is also the option of one of you having tie-breaking authority in the event that you become deadlocked over a decision or of splitting the decision-making authority according to the kind of decision that is being made. 

Parenting Time

Parenting time refers to the schedule by which you and your children’s other parent divide your time with the kids. The basic scheduling options include either one of you becoming the primary custodial parent with whom your children have the majority of their overnights (while the other parent has a visitation schedule) or splitting your overnights with the kids more evenly. While your scheduling options remain wide open if you are able to hammer out a mutually agreeable parenting time schedule between yourselves, you can expect one of the state’s standard parenting time schedules if you exhaust your negotiation options and require the court’s intervention. 

The Division of Marital Property

Those assets, properties, and things of value that you acquired while married – as offset by your marital debts – are considered marital property, and in the State of Illinois, your marital property must be divided between you in a manner that is considered equitable (or fair given the situation) in the event of a divorce. While the property that you bring into your marriage with you – and keep separate throughout – remains your separate property, it is important to recognize that this is a high bar. Along with parenting concerns, the division of marital property has the potential to become an extremely contentious divorce concern. 

Alimony

Alimony is reserved for those divorce situations in which one spouse experiences a financial setback and the other has the financial means to help. Generally, alimony is temporary and is designed to allow the recipient the time he or she needs to obtain the education and/or to acquire the skills necessary to gain greater financial independence. 

Reach out to an Experienced Hoffman Estates Divorce Attorney Today

The accomplished divorce attorneys in Hoffman Estates at SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, have an impressive track record of helping clients like you obtain favorable divorce terms that support their parental and financial rights and work for them. We’re here for you, too, so please don’t wait to contact us for more information today.