Cook County Divorce Attorneys

Divorce is never a fun topic, but sometimes, divorce is the best path forward into a more positive future. If you are facing a divorce, you have plenty of concerns with which to contend. After all, you and your children’s financial and emotional futures can be significantly affected by your divorce terms. To help ensure you obtain a divorce that protects your rights and works for you, consult with an experienced Cook County divorce attorney today.

Your Child Custody Arrangements and Child Support

If you’re going through a divorce that involves children, there’s little doubt that your child custody arrangements are your primary concern. Although these arrangements can go in a variety of different directions, the general outcome usually includes the following:

• The parents will need to establish a visitation schedule that delineates when your shared children stay with him or her.  Based on the amount of time the children stay with each parent and using the Illinois statutory shared income calculator that takes into account the income of both parents, a child support amount may be awarded for one of the parties.
• If possible, both of you will share legal custody, which means that you’ll make important decisions on behalf of your children jointly. Such decisions include those related to health care, education, religious upbringing, and extracurricular activities. 

If you and your divorcing spouse are unable to come to an agreement regarding your child custody arrangements, the court will step in to do so on your behalf. While the court is always motivated by what’s in the best interest of the children involved, your judge can’t possibly know or understand your children’s unique personalities and needs the way you do. Unless your children’s other parent simply refuses to compromise, it’s nearly always in your best interest to hammer out child custody arrangements between yourselves – with the professional counsel of your respective divorce attorneys.

The Division of Your Marital Property

After child custody arrangements, the division of your marital property is likely next most on your mind. In Illinois, your marital property includes all that property that you and your spouse acquired as a married couple – regardless of whose name these assets are in and with the exception of gifts and/or inheritances in one of your names alone. Rather than be divided equally, your marital assets will be divided in a manner deemed equitable or fair – given the circumstances of your marriage and divorce. 

Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance (or alimony) refers to a financial payment that is sometimes awarded to a divorcing spouse who doesn’t have the financial means to support himself or herself (if his or her ex has the financial means to offset this financial discrepancy). A wide variety of variables can enter into this determination, including both spouses’ relative financial resources, level of education, contributions to the marriage, and more. 

You Need an Experienced Cook County Divorce Attorney on Your Side

Divorce is a journey, but the dedicated divorce attorneys at The Law Offices of George M. Sanders in Chicago are committed to helping you obtain divorce terms that serve you and your children’s needs now and into the future. Our formidable legal team is passionate about their work and are here to help. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.