When couples are getting ready to tie the knot, they are usually in the midst of a deep love that seems like it could never end. While you should always believe that your marriage will last a lifetime, it is sometimes wise to prepare for the possibility of a separation, down the road. Of course, facing the potentiality of a divorce with your fiance can be difficult, but by planning ahead and signing a prenuptial agreement, you can help ensure that your family will maintain a financially healthy future, even if your marriage ends in a divorce. If you are readying for a marriage, speak with a legal representative to discuss the benefits of developing a prenuptial agreement, prior to your wedding.

Who Should Look Into a Prenuptial Agreement?

A prenuptial agreement is an agreement that is made by potential spouses, prior to their marriage. It is designed to establish how the couple will handle the allocation of resources, distribution of debt, and other financial issues, in the event of a divorce. A prenuptial agreement is officially established once the marriage is finalized. While many people believe that the establishment of a prenuptial agreement is unromantic or pessimistic, there are many scenarios in which a prenuptial agreement can alleviate stress and help the couple avoid future disputes, down the road.

Protecting Your Family: If you have children from a prior marriage, the development of a prenuptial agreement can ensure that your children will have access to their inheritance. While a second marriage can be a new lease on life and a path into a wonderful relationship, it should be noted that 67% of second marriages end in divorce.

Divorces represent one of the most difficult challenges that two people will ever face in their lives. While the decision to separate can be a healthy and amicable one, it can still be emotionally challenging to begin a life without your former partner. Divorces can also become contentious, due to issues of financial security and resource allocation. Still, nothing seems to bring more emotional stress to a divorce than the presence of children.

If you are in the midst of a divorce and your former spouse is seeking sole-custody of your children, it is time to begin working toward a parental visitation schedule. Every good parent wants to play a role in their child’s life; contacting a quality legal team can help you do just that.

How a Visitation Schedule is Made

Here in the state of Illinois, the vast majority of visitation conflicts are resolved through either mediation or extensive negotiation. This type of conflict resolution enables both parties to work towards a schedule that is mutually beneficial. A mediation resolution also offers parents an opportunity to begin their new parental relationship. Finding a way to come together and build a schedule that works for both parents, and highlights the best interest of the children involved, can be a good first step in the new parental dynamic.

For thousands of American couples, adoption offers the opportunity to complete their family unit. Adoption represents a beautiful decision for a couple looking for a child, and a child in need of loving parents. According to studies conducted by the National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), more than 600,000 children in foster homes throughout the United States are adopted by permanent custody parents each year. Making the decision to adopt represents a truly life-changing decision for all parties involved. If you and your family, are contemplating adopting, it may be time to contact a family law attorney to assist you with some of the complex legal proceedings involved in every adoption.

Common Adoption Misconceptions

When making the decision to adopt, prospective parents are posed with a number of important questions, but they may also be presented with common misconceptions about adoption. 

My Adopted Child Won’t Love Me: When contemplating adoption, many parents wonder whether or not their adopted child will love them as if they were their birth parents. This notion is a common adoption misconception; in all reality, the vast majority of adopted children have a wonderful relationship with their adopted parents. In fact, according to the NSAP, approximately 90% of children over age 5 have positive feelings about their adoption. Children simply need a home and loving parents.

Family law courts routinely make decisions on monumental issues, such as child custody, property division issues, and alimony determinations. Thus, it is no surprise that a large number of people leave the courtroom, disappointed by the decision-making process and the determinations that were made.

Fortunately, sometimes people can contest unwanted outcomes. If you truly believe that your family law case has been wrongly decided, it may be possible to pursue an appeal. It is important to understand that simply being unhappy with the court ruling does not entitle you to an appeal. An appeal is only plausible if the decision is truly incorrect. If you believe the grounds that lead to the court’s decision in your family law case were falsely established, it may be time to explore the possibility of an appeal.

Understanding the Appeal Process

An appeal is defined as the process in which an appellant (the person requesting the appeal) does not believe their case was properly decided and requests examination of the decision from a higher court. In the state of Illinois, family law appeals are always first reviewed by the appellate court of the state of Illinois.

It's now a trend with its own term. Gray divorce, a term used for individuals who end their marriage after they are 50 years of age or older, is rising, and more family law professionals are seeing clients who fit the category. In Illinois, these older couples separate with different issues than other couples who call it quits when they are younger.

Unlike couples with minor children, gray divorce individuals do not have the same needs for child custody and child support negotiations. Usually, the major issues of this type of marital dissolution are related to assets such as the home, investments and retirement plans. Individuals need to decide how the assets will be shared during a collaborative process, or they may need to have the matter settled by a judge.

Some of those with experience in the field say that divorces among older individuals are up and that the divorce rate has raised to 30 percent in this age group. Some say that it is the largest growing age section in their family law practice. Many couples report that the divorce was useful and that they harbor no bad blood against their ex-partner, but of course, this does not apply in every case.