Divorce Lawyer Naperville

Divorce causes you to face both parental and financial concerns, and protecting your rights and best interests – as well as those of your children – is paramount. If you are preparing to file for divorce, have been served with divorce papers, or have divorce-related concerns, reach out to an experienced divorce lawyer in Naperville for the legal guidance you need. 

Addressing the Terms of Divorce that Apply

Your divorce will reflect the unique circumstances of your marriage and family, but the terms that apply remain the same across all divorces (that involve children), including:

• The division of your marital assets
• Your child custody arrangements, including both parental responsibilities and parenting time
• Child support
• Alimony (or spousal maintenance)

Dividing Your Marital Assets

Your marital assets refer to the properties, cash, and items of value that you acquired while you were married. The matter of who made the purchase or whose name is connected to the purchase does not play a role. If it came to you while you were married, it’s marital, and it – or its value – will need to be distributed between you fairly upon divorce. Factors that can affect this fair division include:

• The length of your marriage
• You and your divorcing spouse’s contributions to the marital assets (including in terms of homemaking and childrearing)
• Any wasting of assets by either party
• Any contractual agreements, such as a prenuptial agreement, that addresses the matter of property division

Deciding On Child Custody Arrangements

In Illinois, child custody is addressed in terms of parental responsibilities (legal custody) and parenting time (physical custody). Parental responsibilities determine how you and your ex will make primary parenting decisions, including the following:

• Where your children will attend school
• The religious education your children will receive
• The medical care your children will receive
• The extracurriculars and travel your children will participate in

Parental responsibilities can be shared between you, can be divided between you, or can be taken on by one of you alone. 

Parenting time determines the schedule by which you and your spouse will divide your time with your shared children, and your scheduling options are nearly endless. If you need the court’s intervention on the matter, however, you can expect one of the state’s standard schedules. 

Child Support

Child support helps to ensure that you and your children’s other parent both continue to support them financially, and it is calculated in accordance with careful state guidelines. The primary factors, however, are the number of overnights each of you has with your children and your incomes (relative to one another). 

Alimony

Alimony is only addressed in those divorces that leave one ex unable to support himself or herself financially and that leave the other with the financial means to help. 

Consult with an Experienced Divorce Lawyer in Naperville Today

The seasoned divorce lawyers at SLG Family Law in Naperville dedicate their well-respected practice to protecting the parental and financial rights of clients like you. Your case is important, so please don’t delay reaching out and contacting us today for more information about how we can help.