Top Divorce Lawyers Chicago

If you and your spouse are moving toward divorce, it is not only an emotionally difficult time but is also an important time in which many significant decisions will be made that directly affect you and your children’s future. Obtaining divorce terms that support your financial rights and that support you and your children’s best interests is paramount, and a top divorce lawyer in Chicago can help. 

Your Child Custody Arrangements

In any divorce that involves children, child custody – called parental responsibility in Illinois – arrangements are key. While coming to terms with altered living arrangements can be difficult, you and your divorcing spouse can get creative in the arrangement-making process, and you may find a new normal that works well for all involved. Keeping your mind open to all the possibilities can help you move forward with less trepidation. 

If you are unable to find mutually acceptable terms between yourselves (with the negotiation skills of your respective attorneys), the court will do so for you. The court is always motivated by what it determines are the children’s best interests, but ceding this important decision-making power can be very stressful – with unknowable results. There are also alternate dispute resolution options available to you, such as mediation, before you’ll need to ask the court to intervene.

The Division of Marital Property

That property that you and your spouse acquired together as a married couple will be divided equitably upon divorce. In essence, this means that your assets will be divided in a way that is fair in relation to the circumstances of your marriage. As you can probably imagine, this process can quickly become extremely complicated, and often heated. The following can all make the matter even more difficult and more likely to require serious negotiation efforts:

• Owning multiple properties
• Having high assets
• Owning a business
• Having complicated assets that include both separate and marital properties that may have commingled
• Divorcing after a marriage of many years

Child Support

Child support is based on state guidelines that spell out exactly what percentage the obligor (usually the parent with the visitation schedule) will pay of his or her income in support of your shared children. The court does, however, have considerable discretion in the matter, and if there are any extenuating circumstances – such as a child with special needs – it is likely to deviate from the standard guidelines. 

Alimony

Alimony (or spousal maintenance) is usually reserved for those instances when one spouse has a post-divorce financial need, and the other spouse has the financial means to help alleviate that need. You should discuss possible alimony determinations with your divorce attorney.

Reach Out to One of the Top Divorce Lawyers in Chicago

No two divorces follow identical courses, but obtaining favorable divorce terms is always critical. At The Law Offices of George M. Sanders in Chicago, our resourceful divorce attorneys have the experience and commitment to skillfully guide your case toward divorce terms that uphold your rights and benefit you. We are here to help, so please do not delay contacting us for more information today.