Divorce Lawyers Near Me

Divorce Lawyers Near Me

Divorce represents a big change in your life, and because it is as much a legal matter as it is an emotional transition, working closely with an experienced divorce lawyer near me is always the best path forward. If you are considering or facing a divorce, consulting with a dedicated divorce attorney sooner rather than later will serve you well.

Your Unique Divorce

Your divorce will be just as unique as your marriage, but you don’t have to recreate the wheel in its pursuit. In fact, the categories of the terms you’ll need to negotiate to remain the same across every divorce and include:

• Parental responsibilities including decision making and parenting time 
• The division of marital property including assets and liabilities
• Characterization of marital property versus non-marital property
• Child support
• Spousal maintenance (what you may think of as alimony)

Parental Responsibilities: Decision Making and Parenting Time

Parental responsibilities correlate with what used to be called legal custody, and one component is decision-making as it refers to who will be making the important decisions related to your children’s schooling, extracurriculars, health care, and religious upbringing. The decision-making aspect of parental responsibilities can be sole, joint, or divided according to the kinds of decisions the parents are making. 

Parenting time determines the schedule by which you and your ex will split your time with your children.

The Division of Marital Property

The assets and liabilities that you and your spouse amass over the course of your married life amount to marital property that must be divided equitably or fairly in relation to the circumstances of your marriage and divorce. While the property that you bring into the marriage with you may remain separate, this can also be a complicating factor that can lead to prolonged and complex litigation in marital property versus non-marital property determinations. In fact, the division of marital property can become very complicated very quickly, and because your financial rights are on the line, having an experienced divorce attorney on your side is always well advised. 

Child Support

The State of Illinois requires both parents to support their children financially, and child support helps to get the job done. Courts quantify child support based on a wide range of variables, but two of the most consequential factors include each parent’s financial ability to pay, which is calculated by the income shares approach of their respective incomes, and the number of overnights each parent has with the children. 

Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance is not universally applicable as the statutory parameters take many factors into consideration including the income of both parties and the duration of the marriage.  You will want to ensure to discuss whether or not you are entitled to spousal maintenance with an experienced divorce attorney.

Reach out to an Experienced Divorce Lawyer near Me

The trusted Chicago divorce lawyers at Ward Family Law are well equipped to help guide your divorce toward a favorable resolution that works for you and your kids. To learn more about what we can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.