Ending your marriage can not only be a painful process, but without proper planning, divorce can also be expensive. Fortunately, you have options for how you can complete your divorce, and you can take steps to keep the costs down and dissolve your marriage efficiently and cost-effectively. If you want to ensure that your divorce is completed effectively without breaking the bank, consider the tips below:

Avoid a Trial

The costs of divorce litigation can be very high, and when you need to make multiple appearances in court, legal fees and attorney expenses can add up quickly. To avoid this, you can work with your divorce lawyer and your ex-spouse to settle your case outside of court. You and your former partner may also choose to use mediation to settle your outstanding issues. When you participate in this process, you will work with a neutral third-party mediator to reach an agreement. 

When a couple chooses to get divorced, the best-case scenario involves them parting ways amicably while still maintaining respect for each other. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some ex-partners can be dangerous, and it may seem difficult to remove them from one’s life even when the divorce is over. An ex-spouse may commit multiple different types of harassment, including electronic stalking. This can be a subtle but invasive method of stalking someone, and many people do not even know their privacy has been compromised until it is too late. If you are concerned that your ex-partner is stalking you, here are some tips to help protect your privacy and your safety.

Change Your Passwords

If you and your ex-partner shared accounts for email, social media, or other apps during your marriage, it is important to change the usernames and passwords of those accounts immediately. You should also take steps to remove your ex from any bank accounts or credit cards the two of you shared. Your ex-partner could still be using online apps or financial records to track your communications, your whereabouts, and your spending habits. Make sure you use a password that is not obvious to your ex-partner. Avoid the use of easy-to-guess references like your first pet or your middle name. Consider a password generator that provides a completely random sequence of unguessable characters.

Look Out for Stalking Apps and Programs

In some cases, your ex may download an illicit application onto your phone or install a hidden program on your computer. With this type of stalking app, they may be able to see your phone conversations, text messages, photos, and passwords. Some apps can even turn on your phone’s or computer’s camera or microphone without your knowledge, allowing your ex to listen to or watch you without your permission. Even though you might not see the app icon or know the spyware has been installed, there are a few signs. If your phone’s battery drains faster, if your computer is hard to turn off, or if your data bill is higher than normal, you might want to check for a stalking app or spyware program. 

Divorce can be a difficult process, but if you are in an abusive relationship, it may be a necessary one. Unfortunately, abusive relationships often involve manipulation, and sometimes the person who is being abused does not realize they are a victim. Those who are experiencing difficulties in their relationship should be sure to recognize the signs of abuse and learn about their options for escaping an abusive situation.

What Defines an Abusive Relationship?

Not all abusive relationships are physically violent. These relationships typically involve one partner taking control or power over the other. This control can be expressed through physical violence, verbal abuse, and/or manipulative behavior. Mind games, threats, gaslighting, coercion, and intimidation are all common traits of manipulative behavior. Domestic violence can result in physical harm to a spouse or their children, but abuse can cause a great deal of emotional and psychological harm as well.

Marriage is like a knot, and that knot can be very tricky to untie if you are getting a divorce. One of the most difficult parts of divorce can be the division of property. Many states use “community property” laws, which say that any assets obtained during a marriage are subject to equal division in the case of a divorce. However, Illinois is not a community property state, and instead, it uses a principle known as “equitable distribution.” This states that assets will be fairly and equitably divided between spouses in just proportions rather than being split 50/50.

Types of Property

There are two types of property that a married couple may own: marital property and separate property. Marital property is defined as all assets and debts obtained by either spouse during a marriage. This includes not just tangible property but also intangible assets. Examples may include vehicles, furniture, clothing, jewelry, bank accounts, trusts, real estate property, and business interests--as long as they were obtained during the marriage. Liabilities such as credit card debts or home and auto loans are also considered marital property. 

Separate property includes any assets that were obtained by one spouse before or after the marriage, as well as any inheritances given solely to one spouse. Marital property will be divided between spouses, but separate property will continue to be owned by the spouse that acquired it.

The breakup of a marriage is often an emotionally difficult experience, but it can especially hurtful when a divorce was caused by infidelity. If you find your partner cheating, you may have difficulty forming trust and establishing loyalty in future relationships. You may also feel that your ex-spouse’s mistress or paramour caused you significant harm, and you may wonder if you can take legal action against them. In some states, a person can file a civil tort claim for criminal conversation or alienation of affection. In this type of case, a person can sue the person who broke up their marriage, asking the judge to award damages based on loss of consortium, mental anguish, and loss of support.

Criminal Conversation 

Criminal conversation, despite the name, is a civil court case, and a defendant will not face criminal penalties or jail time. To sue a person in this type of case, hard evidence is needed to show that a plaintiff’s spouse committed adultery. This evidence is usually obtained with the help of a private investigator, and it may consist of videos or photographs. It must usually also be proven that the infidelity happened within the marriage (not during a separation), that the act was committed with a person (a business such as a gentlemen's club typically cannot be sued), and the acts took place within the applicable statute of limitations.