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Family Law Attorney in Hoffman Estates

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Family Law Attorney in Hoffman Estates

For the first time in American history, most children now grow up in single-family homes, blended family homes, or in other “non-traditional” households. Raising children is hard enough, but these families face some additional emotional hurdles which are often difficult to overcome. There are some legal and financial hurdles as well, especially in areas of Chicagoland like Hoffman Estates.

The experienced Hoffman Estates family law attorneys at Andrea Heckman Law routinely handle a full range of family law matters throughout Chicagoland and beyond. That means we know all the local rules. That includes the written and unwritten requirements. So, your important family law matter is never a learning laboratory for an inexperienced lawyer. Instead, we bring all our considerable skill to bear, in order to obtain long-lasting and cost-effective results.

Initial Determinations

The marriage dissolution rate has declined somewhat in recent years, but it is still far higher than it was a generation ago. There are also a large number of paternity actions in Hoffman Estates, largely because the out-of-wedlock birth rate is high across the board.

Generally, effective groundwork is the key to a successful result. Premarital agreements in divorce cases are a good example. These pacts usually include spousal support caps, as well as property classification and division provisions. As a bonus, premarital agreements often make marriages stronger. They resolve money squabbles before these fights have a chance to erode your relationship.

In some states, divorces only address some of the issues in the case. But in Illinois, divorce resolves all emotional and financial issues, at least as these matters appear at the time.

Legal paternity actions are far superior to administrative parentage determinations. Administrative determinations usually involve signing a birth certificate. At most, these determinations only address financial issues. In contrast, legal paternity proceedings also establish legal rights and set up predictable custody share agreements.

Both mothers and fathers benefit from paternity actions. Mothers obtain financial and other orders which are fully enforceable in court. As for fathers, only legal parents usually have any chance of obtaining full custody of their children.

Other family law matters include adoptions, stepparent adoptions, and grandparent visitation petitions.

Subsequent Modifications

The parenting time and financial support orders that these family law actions include are basically snapshots. Since these circumstances change, our Hoffman Estates family law attorneys also handle modification matters. As a rule of thumb, family law orders should be legally modified at least once every four years, to keep up with the changes that families inevitably go through.

Many of these modifications involve parenting time changes. Illinois has a co-parenting law. This law presumes that children benefit from frequent, meaningful, and consistent contact with both parents. Words like “frequent” and “consistent” mean different things in different contexts. If circumstances materially and substantially change, the orders should change as well.

Incidentally, it is important that these changes be in writing. Informal “side agreements,” even if they are written, are not enforceable in court.

Alimony and child support obligations often change as well, as the economic needs, and payment abilities, of the children and/or adults change. Once again, if these changes are material and substantial, a Cook County judge could reduce the support obligation, lower it, or terminate it.

Reach Out to a Hard-Working Attorney

Today’s families often need legal assistance. For a free consultation with an experienced family law attorney in Hoffman Estates, contact Andrea Heckman Law, Ltd. Convenient payment plans are available.

Contact our office to arrange for a free initial consultation and review of your case.

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Andrea Heckman

Managing Attorney

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Please contact our law office in Rolling Meadows for legal assistance with divorce, child custody, or visitation issues. We serve clients in the Chicago metropolitan area who need the help of an experienced and dedicated family law attorney.

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