If you are facing a divorce, protecting your rights is key, and if you are a woman, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. One of the most critical steps you take on the path forward is reaching out for the skilled legal guidance of an experienced women’s rights divorce attorney in Chicago whose focus is helping women like you proceed toward divorce with increased purpose and peace of mind.
In Illinois, child custody arrangements are now called parental responsibilities, which includes both decision-making authority and parenting time (visitation and custody). While women were traditionally more likely to stay home with the children while supporting their spouses’ career pursuits, this is no longer the rule. Illinois bases decisions related to parental responsibilities, decision-making and parenting time on the best interests of the children involved, and there is a strong presumption that maximizing each parent’s schedule with their children is preferable.Â
If your goal is to obtain more parenting rights upon divorce, two of the many best-interest factors that are likely to play a significant role include:Â
In Illinois, the division of marital property upon divorce is intended to be equitable, which means fair in relation to the circumstances at hand. The facts are that women are far more likely to sacrifice their own earning potential in a marriage and that women earn less than men overall. As such, protecting your financial rights in terms of the division of your marital property can play a key role in your post-divorce finances.Â
Child support in Illinois is calculated in accordance with state guidelines that dictate not only who bears the responsibility but also the amount owed. Illinois uses a shared income model which takes the income of both parties into consideration when calculating child support, but if the number of overnights your children spend with their father exceeds a specific threshold, it can decrease the amount of child support owed. A dedicated women’s rights divorce attorney will skillfully advocate for you and your children’s financial rights.Â
Alimony, which is called spousal maintenance in Illinois, plays a role in those divorces that are longer in duration with a disparity in income between the two spouses in which one spouse is left without the financial ability to support themself, and it can be especially important for divorcing women. Alimony can mean the difference between your ability to find your way back to financial stability and having a much more difficult time doing so. Â
Women often face unique challenges in terms of protecting their financial and parental rights over the course of a divorce, and the skilled women’s rights divorce attorneys at WARD FAMILY LAW in Chicago are not only attuned with these concerns but are also well prepared to help. To learn more, please don’t wait to contact us today.
Love and marriage. We needed a prenup because our families made us do one just to be safe. The entire thing was smooth so we could focus on our wedding and not be too crazy with the prenup. The agreement was drafted and reviewed by each of our attorneys, we signed and we were married. Woo Hoo. Thanks again, Ward Family Law.
10/10 is my rating for Ward Family Law. Jennifer and Emily went above and beyond in my divorce case. I cannot say more praise.
I lost my job but still had to pay the child support. I was scrambling. I talked to Jennifer Ward and she explained the process and the need to quickly file to put the court on notice that my child support needed to change. She saved me so much money in the long run while I looked for a new job so that I could start paying to help my kids again. Losing my job was not in the plan but at least my kids are on track.
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