Pets are important members of families, and when a marriage ends in divorce, deciding who gets “custody” of the beloved family pet can be a difficult issue for couples to work out. In Illinois, pets are generally treated as property in the context of a divorce. This means that the court will consider the same factors that it would consider when dividing other marital property. However, unlike other properties, pets are often seen as family members, and the court may consider this when making its decision.

In Illinois, all property a part of the marriage, also known as marital property, shall be divided in a manner that is reasonable to both divorcing parties. This means that the court, when deciding how to split marital property, will look at many things, including the length of the marriage, the impact each spouse has had on the marital estate, and the economic circumstances of each spouse. To ensure you understand what your divorce will entail, hire the services of a qualified divorce attorney to understand all matters pertaining to the divorce, including how custody of your pet will likely be decided. 

Here is What You Need to Know About Pets and Illinois Divorce

When it comes to pets, the court may consider factors such as who primarily cares for the pet, who has the financial means to care for the pet, and what the pet’s best interests are. For example, if one spouse has always been the primary caregiver for the pet and has the means to continue to care for the pet after the divorce, the court may be more likely to award the pet to that spouse.

 Child support is essential for ensuring that children are provided for financially after a divorce. Unfortunately, missed payments can wreak havoc on the lives of the parent who is supposed to be receiving the payments, as well as the children involved. If you are a father in Illinois and your ex-wife needs to fulfill her child support obligations, you may feel overwhelmed regarding what you should do. Today, we will discuss the steps you can take as a father in Illinois to enforce your ex-wife’s child support obligations and ensure that your children’s financial needs are met. Contact a child support collection attorney to understand your legal options at this time.

Here is How You Can Enforce Child Support Payments 

If your ex-wife is not fulfilling her child support obligations, you have a couple of legal options for enforcing the order. In Illinois, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DCSS) administers child support enforcement programs to collect child support payments. Here are some ways the DCSS can enforce child support payments:

• Wage garnishment – If your wife is employed, DCSS may require their employer to reduce or withhold a certain amount of their wages until the outstanding child support balance has been recovered.

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When a couple divorces in Illinois, one of the main issues that often arises is who is responsible for paying for their children’s college education. This can be a contentious issue, especially as college prices continue to soar at obnoxiously quick rates, leaving many families to wonder how they will ever pay such expenses. Several factors come into play as you determine who will pay for college tuition after a divorce. For more assistance on this matter, contact an experienced family law attorney.

What to Know About College Tuition Post-Divorce in Illinois

In Illinois, the obligation to pay for college expenses varies depending on the circumstances. In many cases, the court will require both parents to pay a portion of their child’s college expenses. The child may also be required to contribute. However, the amount each party is expected to contribute will depend on a number of factors, including:

• The child’s needs – If the child is likely to need significant resources to attend college, such as for tuition, room, and board, the court may order the parents to contribute more

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 Grandparents can often play a vital role in a child’s life, providing emotional support, assistance with child-raising, and love and care. However, after a divorce, grandparents may find themselves losing contact with their grandchildren or perhaps even have been denied access to the grandchildren by their grandchild’s parents, leaving the grandparents feeling helpless and alone. If you are a grandparent and have been unreasonably denied access to your grandchildren, contact a family law attorney to learn more about options you may have at this time. 

Grandparents’ Visitation in Illinois

In Illinois, grandparents do not have a specified “right” to visitation, and there are various situations where the parents of a child may restrict a grandparent’s access to the grandchildren. The following are examples of when a parent may restrict a grandparent’s access to the grandchildren, including:

• A bad divorce results in the parent not wishing the child to spend time with their grandparents.

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When high-net-worth individuals go through a divorce, significant assets are often at stake. As a result, this can make the divorce process much more complex than for an average household. It can also make the divorce process more contentious, with both parties fighting for their fair share. Because of this, if you are going through a high-asset divorce, you need to understand that identifying all the assets involved can be challenging. Luckily, however, that is where forensic accountants come in. 

Today, we will discuss the relevance of forensic accountants in high-net-worth divorces. If you are about to go through a high net-worth divorce, it is in your best interest to be aware of how a forensic accountant may be in handy as you move through divorce proceedings. Work with your divorce attorney to decide whether a forensic accountant may be relevant to your case.

What Are the Roles of Forensic Accountants? 

Forensic accountants are professionals who are tasked with identifying and analyzing financial data in order to provide insights into a variety of financial disputes. Forensic accountants may be called upon to investigate issues such as hidden assets, undervalued assets, and income discrepancies in the context of high net-worth divorce.