Divorce Law Firm near Me

Divorce Law Firm near Me

If the question at the forefront of your thoughts is how to find an experienced divorce law firm near me, look no further than a well-established divorce law firm that proudly serves the Chicago area. Divorce matters are sensitive matters that require careful legal attention, and you shouldn’t wait to reach out for the professional legal guidance that you need. 

The Divorce Basics

While your divorce will be unique to you and your situation, the basic elements of divorce apply to every divorcing couple (as applicable), and they include:

• The division of marital property
• Parenting time and parental responsibility (also known as child custody)
• Child support
• Alimony (called spousal maintenance in Illinois)

If you and your divorcing spouse are able to find common ground related to each of these elements, you won’t need the court to intervene on your behalf. This does not, however, mean that you and your soon-to-be-ex will need to be on the same page from the outset, which is generally unrealistic. If you’re not able to successfully negotiate between yourselves, your respective divorce attorneys can intervene on your behalf, and there are also alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options, such as mediation. 

The Division of Your Marital Property

Generally, that property that you acquire over the course of your marriage (regardless of how it’s titled) is considered marital property, and these assets must be divided equitably in the event of divorce. Equitably doesn’t necessarily mean equally but, instead, means fairly given the circumstances of your marriage and divorce. 

Parenting Time and Parental Responsibility

Parenting time and parental responsibility make up what used to be called child custody. Parental responsibility determines who will be making the important decisions about education, health care, religious education, and extracurriculars for your children, and it can be either sole or joint. Parenting time determines when the children will be with you and when they will be with their other parent. While parenting time can be sole, it is rare for the court to disallow a parent some form of visitation without a good reason for doing so.

Child Support

Child support is based on state calculation guidelines, and it is the tool the state uses to ensure that both parents uphold their financial responsibility to their children. Usually, the parent who has the children less of the time pays child support to the other. Because child support is based on each parent’s financial ability to pay, the higher earner generally pays child support to the other parent, even if they split their time with the children right down the middle. 

Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony, only plays a role if there is a divorce-based financial discrepancy between two exes. The spouse who has greater earnings can be ordered to help offset this discrepancy through maintenance payments that are intended to help the other find firmer financial footing. 

Seek the Experienced Legal Counsel of a Divorce Law Firm near You

The impressive divorce attorneys at Andrea Heckman Law – proudly serving the Chicago area – are on your side and are well-positioned to help. To learn more, please don’t wait to contact us today.