How Can You Avoid Will Contests in Chicago?

When you create a will to distribute your estate, you do it so that your wishes are carried out after your death. When someone contests the will, this can create issues in your family and prevent your will from being followed. A Chicago estate planning attorney can help you make a strong and enforceable will. Who Can Contest a Will? In Illinois, any interested person can petition to contest a will. An interested person includes: A beneficiary named in the will An heir who would inherit under succession law or a prior will A creditor The representative of the estate,

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How Is Property Divided in Illinois?

Division of property is an essential part of any divorce, where a couple’s marital assets are split between them. This includes assets such as a shared home, vehicles, shared bank accounts, retirement accounts, real estate, and high-value assets like jewelry and art. It also includes any marital debts. Property division can frequently become contentious, especially if each spouse has financial or emotional interests in certain assets, so a Chicago property division lawyer is key. In Illinois, if the court decides the division of property, a couple’s assets are divided according to equitable distribution laws. The court reviews significant factors in

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How Does an Attorney Help My Divorce?

A divorce is a complex and emotionally strenuous experience, even when spouses agree that it is the right choice. There are several issues involved in a Chicago divorce, including division of marital assets, determination of child custody, and assigning spousal support and child support. Spouses often have differences of opinion, even when they are attempting to cooperate. A divorce can be even more difficult when relations between spouses are contentious or even malicious during the divorce process, and the divorce must then be decided through court proceedings. For many people, hiring a divorce attorney for their separation seems unnecessary. However,

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How to Talk to Your Children About a Divorce

For many parents, divorce or separation is one of the hardest choices to make, even when the choice is made to benefit your family. Divorce can be an especially difficult process for children. Though a divorce may be a healthier situation for children in the long term, it can still be confusing and upsetting for children to learn their parents are getting divorced. Knowing how to break that news can be hard for parents. Parents likely have known a divorce was coming, while children may be completely unaware. Children will have unpredictable responses, and some may believe they were somehow

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What Are Marital Agreements and What Are Their Benefits?

An Illinois marital agreement can help an engaged or married couple protect their assets, discuss financial needs, and determine asset division. They include prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. These are legal agreements that many believe are used only by wealthy couples or individuals, but they can be helpful to anyone. These agreements can determine inheritance rights, protect certain assets in divorce, and prevent property from being divided by the court’s discretion. It’s useful to work with an attorney while creating any marital agreement to ensure it will be legally enforceable and that the rights of both parties are protected. Prenuptial and

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Importance of Estate Planning in Chicago

Crafting a comprehensive estate plan has several benefits: it can provide guidelines for your own care, it allows you to plan for your family’s future, and it safeguards your assets after your death. Your estate plan can be made to fit your goals for your assets and beneficiaries. It can also help you feel more confident about how things will be handled after your death. Documents in a Comprehensive Estate Plan The components of your estate plan may differ based on your unique needs. Generally, a complete estate plan includes the following documents: A Will: This lays out your wishes

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What Is Considered a Substantial Change in Circumstances for Modification?

The court orders in a finalized divorce set legal guidelines for spousal maintenance, child custody, and child support. Whether the ex-spouses went through court litigation or mediation, their separation agreements are court-enforced. However, these court orders are not immutable. Illinois courts recognize that life changes for every family and that court orders need to reflect those changes. If both parties agree to the modification, they can make that change. The only parts of a divorce order that cannot be modified are the division of assets and a waiver of spousal maintenance. Parties can change spousal maintenance, child custody, and parenting

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Seeking Safety from Domestic Violence in Chicago

Although many people do feel safe at home, abuse does occur within families and households. Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects thousands of families annually. To make matters worse, many people do not know their options for combating or escaping domestic violence situations. If you are in a situation where you do not feel safe in your own home, you likely have a domestic violence claim. There are several legal resources available to you to get out of your abusive situation and into a safe environment. In fact, the law is on your side as the victim of

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Parental Alienation: What It Is, How to Recognize It, and How to Address It

When parents separate or divorce, it can be difficult for everyone involved, especially the children. It is not uncommon for parents to experience disagreements and conflicts during this time. Still, when these conflicts turn into negative feelings or behaviors towards one parent, it is known as parental alienation. What Is Parental Alienation? Parental alienation is a term used to describe a situation in which a child is encouraged or coerced by one parent to reject, fear, or dislike the other parent, often without any legitimate reason. This behavior can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including: Making negative comments

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How Social Media Can Impact Your Divorce

Although many people understand that divorce is difficult, few have a complete picture of how complicated these negotiations can be. Factors that you have never considered can become contentious parts of the divorce process and even impact the outcome. Social media is one of these factors, and it can do a significant amount of damage to your case. It is critical to understand the potential impact that social media can have on your divorce process. You can then make more empowered decisions about your online presence as well as your divorce. A few minor changes made online can have a

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