Getting a divorce does not always mean you will receive spousal support from your spouse afterward. If the couple does not have a valid prenuptial agreement dictating maintenance and cannot agree to a spousal maintenance arrangement, out of court, spousal maintenance decisions will be left up to a judge. The court uses a variety of factors to determine whether or not a maintenance award is appropriate. These factors include things such as each spouse’s age, health, occupation, income, earning potential, and any impairment to their employability or earning potential. Fighting for a maintenance payment can be a battle in itself. However, many divorcing spouses who depend on that support are also concerned with how long the payments will last.

Length of Spousal Maintenance

In many cases, spousal maintenance does not last forever. In fact, courts have moved away from spousal maintenance payments being the norm. In many cases these days, both spouses are employed and have income when they divorce, decreasing or eliminating the need for spousal support. However, if spousal support is deemed necessary and is awarded to the spouse, then the court will follow guidelines set out in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). Illinois law states that the length of spousal maintenance payments is calculated by multiplying the length of the marriage in years by a specific factor. However, if the marriage lasted for 20 or more years, the court can decide to award maintenance indefinitely. For example, if a couple was married for 14 and a half years, the court would multiply 14.5 by .60 to come up with 8.7. This means that the couple in this example would be paying and receiving support for a little more than 8 and a half years. Maintenance automatically terminates when the recipient remarries. 

Discuss Your Case With a DuPage County Spousal Maintenance Attorney

For many couples, spousal maintenance can be a contested issue. If you and your spouse do not agree on the topic of spousal maintenance during your divorce, you should seek help from a skilled Wheaton, IL spousal maintenance lawyer to discuss your options. To schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable attorney from the Andrew Cores Family Law Group, call our office today at 630-871-1002.

Even though you said your vows on your wedding day, “‘till death do us part” does not always come true. Sometimes, things do not work out the way that we planned and the person who you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with turned out just to be temporary. In the event that you get a divorce, various decisions about finances and any children you may have will have to be made. If you and your spouse have a prenuptial agreement filed with the court, these decisions will be much easier to make. However, there is always a chance that your spouse will attempt to contest the agreement and they may actually have a case if there is something that makes the agreement invalid.

Elements that Invalidate a Prenuptial Agreement

A prenuptial agreement can be a useful tool during a divorce, but it is only as strong as it is valid. If your prenuptial agreement is considered to be invalid by the courts, you will not be able to enforce the terms of the agreement. There are various reasons why the court may consider your agreement, or portions of the agreement, invalid. The most common reasons include:

• There was not full financial disclosure. One of the biggest no-no’s during a divorce is attempting to hide assets or information. This is also true when you create a prenuptial agreement. Before you sign the agreement, you are asserting that you have given your spouse full disclosure of all of your financial information. If you or your spouse do not do that or fail to disclose certain assets, your prenup could be invalidated.

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The period of time right before you file for divorce is extremely important. There are so many things that you should be getting prepared for, but one of the most important decisions you should make before you begin your divorce is which divorce attorney you will hire to help you through the process. These days, most people find divorce attorneys by talking to family and friends or searching online. However, the thought of searching for an attorney online can be daunting, especially if you are trying to be discreet about your search. Privacy can become an issue in many divorces, but there are things you can do to help protect your privacy when you are looking for a divorce attorney.

Tips to Following When Searching for Lawyers

Anything you do online leaves a footprint. For people who want to peacefully conduct their search for a divorce attorney, privacy and cautiousness are key. If you are looking to hire an attorney to assist with your divorce, here are a few things to keep in mind during your search:

• Avoid using shared devices. If you are looking for an attorney online, you should try to avoid using any devices that you share with your spouse. Instead of using a shared tablet or household computer, use your cell phone or another device that only you have access to.

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The decision to get divorced often comes about after a long period of strife or unhappiness in a marriage. Many couples struggle with the decision for some time before finally contacting an attorney to start the process. If you have been thinking about divorce for a while but are unsure if it is the right move, there are a number of questions that you should consider.

Have You Done Everything You Can to Fix the Relationship?

The first important consideration is whether or not all reasonable steps have been taken to save the marriage. What constitutes “reasonable steps” is different for different people, but it could include couples therapy, individual counseling, or marriage retreats—not to mention in-depth discussions between you and your spouse. There are also many self-help books that might help address the problems you and your partner may be dealing with on a daily basis.

Are You Prepared for the Emotional Strain?

Before filing for a divorce, you will also need to be ready to deal with the myriad emotions that come with ending a marriage. Even if you are the one who wants the divorce, you will probably need to go through a grieving process over the “death” of the marriage. Divorce can also leave you struggling with feelings of anger and guilt. On the other hand, there may be feelings of relief that the turmoil of the marriage has ended. Individual therapy can also help you work through these feelings

When you choose to pursue a divorce, your biggest fear may be that the process will become a destructive fight that harms you, your ex, and your children. It is true that some divorces are contentious, and almost all divorces are stressful, but many of them can proceed amicably. 

If you are able to cooperate with your spouse throughout the divorce process, you can often avoid a trial and reach an efficient resolution that satisfies both sides. If you are hoping for an amicable divorce, you should make sure to approach it in a way that prevents conflict from taking over.

How to Keep Your Illinois Divorce Amicable

Your chances of an amicable divorce often rest on the behaviors of both you and your spouse. Here are some things you can do to make an amicable divorce more likely: