Naperville Law Blog

Survey finds finances to be one main cause of divorce

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Divorce on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

There are many reasons why a couple chooses to separate. But there are some common elements that can cause rifts between married couples and Illinois couples who decide to divorce are no exception. Research has shown that finances seem to be one of the major things that can wreak havoc in a relationship and socioeconomic status also plays a role in whether a couple remains together or drifts apart.

Of couples surveyed, researchers found that those who didn't have to worry much about finances were those likely to stay together. With regard to marital satisfaction, researchers divided couples into groups of high, moderate and low. They found most fell into the high satisfaction category.

Quality legal services remain available during COVID-19 outbreak

By Blacha Law Office, LLC on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

At Blacha Law Office, we are committed to maintaining the safety of our clients, staff and community members during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we also remain committed to prioritizing our clients' needs.

We have always focused on providing individualized attention to help our clients navigate their life-changing situations. These legal needs are often ongoing, even in these uncertain times. Although many businesses are unable to continue regular operations, our services at Blacha Law Office will continue to be available to our clients.

Helping a child to see divorce in a more acceptable way

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

Most children are like little sponges -- they soak up whatever emotions are around them and they are also very in tune to what their parents are feeling. As such, children in Illinois whose parents' are going through a divorce may be influenced about how they see the divorce by the way their parents act in general and toward each other. In fact, parents can actually influence their children about how they view the divorce and what roles they believe they play.

Experts say there are three things that shape the tale a child tells and indeed, believes. The first is what parents actually tell their kids about the divorce, followed by what they actually see happening between their parents and then how external circumstances surrounding the divorce affect them -- issues like neglect, abuse, mental illness and addiction. Parents need to be mindful that what they say to their children and how they act around them can really affect how the children move forward in a new family dynamic.

Life insurance and divorce

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Divorce on Monday, March 16, 2020.

The end of a marriage can be stressful for many estranged Illinois couples. Some of the issues that they have to confront when they are attempting to negotiate a comprehensive settlement agreement include alimony and child support, but they often fail to take into account one important factor, and that is procuring a life insurance policy on the party that will be required to make those payments.

In the case of alimony, the parties can agree on how much it will be per month and how long it will last. It would be prudent for the recipient to determine the present value of those payments and then to have a provision in the settlement agreement that requires the payer to have a life insurance policy in that amount. Of course, the payer would want to have the opportunity to have the insurance amount decrease over time as the remaining amounts owed are less.

Getting older doesn't mean you've escaped divorce

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Divorces didn't used to be as common as they are today. They might have been seen as a failure or as something that signals that someone did something wrong. Today, people realize that a divorce might happen just because two people grow apart. It might be necessary because they no longer get along or just because they choose to live on their own.

For older individuals, the idea of divorce might still be uncomfortable, but the truth is that gray divorce is becoming more common. The number of divorces for people over the age of 50 has been growing even while the overall divorce rate has been in decline. Part of the reason for the change in statistics is that many younger individuals are skipping marriage or waiting longer to get married. That means that those who choose to get married now may be more likely to stay together.

How treatment of a spouse can affect the divorce outcome

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.

The process of a divorce can leave Illinois residents very angry at their estranged spoused, but it is best to try to avoid expressing it, even if the spouse provokes it. It might feel satisfying in the short run to snap at a spouse or even to confront them at work or on social media, but over the long run, this may backfire.

The more acrimonious a divorce is, the more stressful it is. Even if only one spouse can keep their emotions in check, this might deescalate the entire situation. It will be easier to negotiate an agreement and to co-parent afterwards if people try to treat one another with courtesy during the divorce process. Some divorces may become so acrimonious that one spouse calls the other at work or even goes to the spouse's workplace and starts an argument. This can hurt that other spouse professionally, and this may affect what assets are available to divide in the divorce.

Expect to face some losses in a divorce

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

Divorce is a time of rebirth for individuals, and part of this is handling the losses that come with major growth like this. It surprises some people to know that they are going to feel a sense of loss when their marriage ends. Even if you're the one who ended the marriage, you're still likely going to deal with this.

You might be tempted to push these feelings off, but it is always best to address them so that you can truly move forward. Knowing some of the things you might feel a sense of loss over may help you to come up with a tentative plan for dealing with them.

Art collections at stake in high-asset divorce

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Family Law on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.

When people in Illinois decide to divorce, it can lead to significant financial changes, especially when both spouses are wealthy or own valuable assets. Two divorces among art collectors, with each couple holding hundreds of millions of dollars in valuable artworks, have shined a spotlight on property division when high-value collectibles are involved. Asset division can be complex even when the assets being addressed are primarily investments or retirement funds; both parties want to protect their property and secure their financial future. However, the potential for dispute over these issues may escalate when unique items like art are at stake as both parties may want to retain ownership of particularly desirable pieces.

When people decide to divorce, their marital assets are up for division on an equitable basis, especially if there is no prenuptial agreement governing their distribution. As a result, in one couple's divorce, the art at issue was purchased between the date of their marriage in 2005 and the initial divorce filing in 2016. In most cases, art or other property owned by either party prior to the marriage is not considered part of the marital property.

Why Americans over 50 are getting divorced

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Divorce on Friday, February 21, 2020.

After 20 years of marriage, individuals may start to reconsider whether they want to remain with their partners. At this point, they may begin to realize that they are emotionally disconnected from their spouses. Research has shown that the divorce rate for individuals 50 and older doubled between 1990 and 2010. This is in spite of the fact that younger couples in Illinois and throughout the country are getting divorced less often.

One reason why older people are getting divorced at an increased rate is that people don't view divorce the same way that people did in previous generations. Generally speaking, the stigma around ending a marriage has significantly decreased in recent decades. Therefore, people who may have felt social pressure to stay in an unhappy relationship are now more likely to feel confident enough to leave. This may be especially true for victims of emotional or physical abuse.

The main reasons women file for divorce

On behalf of Blacha Law Office, LLC posted in Divorce on Thursday, February 13, 2020.

Though divorce is often portrayed as an older woman being left by her husband for a younger woman, in over 70% of cases, it is the woman initiating the divorce. Women in Illinois have many reasons for bringing an end to a marriage, but their reasons usually fall into one of these categories.

Women can feel like they aren't given room to flourish in their marriages. Now that most women have entered the workforce, they are finding career success and contributing to their families financially. Even so, studies show that women are still doing the majority of the chores around the house, including childcare. Wives can also feel like they have to downplay their career success so that they don't outshine their husbands.