First, if you create a college account for your grandchild and there is a later divorce, that account may be designated in the divorce judgment to be first used for payment of the child's college expenses, before the other spouse's obligation to pay college expenses kicks in. In fact, that spouse may get a free ride if there is enough in the child's account to fully pay for college.Tip: Don't do an outright gift, if your child has divorce on the horizon, put college money for a grandchild in a trust drafted by a lawyer to give you or a successor trustee control over when and how money may be …

As we head into the holiday season, many are preparing to host friendly gatherings and parties. Unfortunately, these parties may also lead to personal injuries that you could be liable for. If you are considering throwing a holiday party this year, there are several things you need to consider.Update Your InsuranceBefore you throw that huge holiday bash, cover your bases financially and contact your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance provider to make sure your policy covers you in the even you are found liable for any injuries that occur on your property during the party.

The short answer is yes. Illinois is in the minority of 13 states where parents can be ordered to contribute to the educational expenses of their child until the child obtains a bachelors degree. Usually, the divorced parents marital settlement provides that the parents pay some or all of the college expenses of their child.Even if the marital settlement agreement is silent about a contribution by the parents, a divorced parent has the right to file a petition on behalf of a child asking for college contribution expenses from the other parent by statute.By the way, such a Petition for …

The causes of car accidents are often complicated. With so many travelers on the roadways at any given time, the opportunity for mistakes to lead to an accident are high. When a collision occurs, it is not uncommon for both drivers to each have made a few driving errors which led to the incident. In the aftermath, it is natural for those hurt to ask whether they can still recover under the civil law if they contributed in part to the damage.

Be careful if you are gifting money to support a father, mother or friend. Your soon-to-be ex spouse may be doing the same thing.Let's say your spouse is loaning money to a relative outside of the country or outside of your state and has done so for years. Lots of money. You know that these are loans because your spouse has told you they are loans and "they will be repaid" Loans, you tell the judge during your divorces that need to be repaid to the marital estate so you get your fair share. A fancy word for it might be that the loan is an asset known as an account receivable owed to both of …

When a marriage does not work out, the partner that is leaving the marriage is not always the bad guy, but he or she may feel like they are. This is more common among men according to a report by the The Huffington Post. Desperation and guilt often make the person initiating the divorce to either delay the divorce or agree to a settlement that is not financially smart; sometimes both.One scenario to consider is when the wife has been the homemaker and stays home to take care of the children. The husband may continue to stay in the marriage because he has a young child and the wife doesn’t …

RAIDS stands for "Recently Acquired Income Deficiency Syndrome." It is common for a "working spouse" to claim a sudden drop in income upon the filing of a divorce in Illinois. In other words, they earn hidden income. Income you may never be aware of in your divorce.Hidden Income Various RAIDS Symptoms: Salaried SpouseA divorcing spouse may claim a decrease in income because overtime is no longer available. Their job has been changed or for a variety of other reasons the employer is paying them less. A salaried spouse may be able to hide income by receiving hidden income in the form of …

Beware of "gloans" in a divorce.  A gloan is a gift that becomes a loan just because you are divorcing.A gift to your spouse from parents or really any person which becomes suddenly a marital loan owed to that person during or even prior to a divorce is a "gloan " -- a gift that becomes a loan because of a divorce. Gloans are a form of Hidden loans.For example, your spouse may produce a neatly signed IOU or promissory note saying that the gift from his parents used as a down payment for your marital residence is now, like magic, presto: "a bonafide loan." A loan that you thought was a gift …

A Chicago company president has become the second employer to plead guilty to a Class 4 felony for failing to obtain workers compensation in Illinois, and has been ordered to pay a $10,000 penalty by the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission (IWCC).According to the Insurance Journal, the fine has been levied against John Linek as an individual employer and as the president of SMS Logistics of Chicago. The Insurance Compliance Unit of the IWCC had been working the case against the trucking firm since 2010 in conjunction with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the Cook County State …

Infidelity is one of the most cited reasons for divorce. Many affairs may be uncovered by early suspicions that cause a woman to become her own private investigator. According to The Huffington Post, there are several signs that can be indicators that your husband may be having an affair.

If you are considering marital dissolution but do not want to divorce for one reason or another, legal separation may be your best option. A legal separation is a permanent change to your marital status akin to divorce, and is recognized in the eyes of the law. A non-legal separation is one in which one spouse moves out but no legal action is taken. While it is not imperative to seek the counsel of a family law attorney in the event of a non-legal separation, living apart may affect your legal rights and so it is advisable to seek the counsel of an attorney before moving out.Legal separation…

If your spouse has for sometime or even quite recently been buying gold in the form of jewelry or other forms it is not necessarily because your spouse is cheating on you or giving these as gifts to some other person. If divorce is imminent, it is an effective way of concealing cash in a form that goes relatively unnoticed.On the other hand, men in particular do not realize that when their wife buys herself a bauble or special gift, it is in fact a way of concealing money in an asset that appreciates in value and is easy sell or even return to the jeweler for cash.This type of spending also …

Whether you’re headed out to an event this New Year’s Eve or just might have to run an errand that night, it pays to be safe on one of the most dangerous driving holidays of the year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, while about 36 fatalities might occur on a given driving day, that number increases to 54 per day around New Year’s. Make sure you’re safe on the roads in order to avoid a major car accident and the serious injuries that can result from collisions.Plan ahead by thinking about using alternative methods to get to your destination. Using …

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of medical malpractice, it’s important to understand the official definition of this negligence and the next steps you need to take with regard to your case. You should never enter into negotiations with the individual doctor, clinic, or hospital involved in your case without the guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney. Remember that hospitals and clinics have a great deal of experience in managing malpractice cases and are not looking out for your best interest in this situation. This is why it’s essential to have your own …

The Roxana refineries named in a personal injury lawsuit which claims they released benzene into the soil and air, have declined to settle the case and are requesting a jury trial, said the Madison-St. Clair Record.

According to a Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention program performed by the Department of Labor & Industries, 95 percent of all worker’s compensation claims fall into seven categories of personal injury. The report studied claims for compensable injuries where employees were hurt badly enough to require time off work, a change in occupation, or resulted in permanent disability.

Spouses are frequently court ordered out of their own homes during a divorce because of some act of violence or threat of violence.Simple as it sounds it may be irresistible for some Not to touch their soon-to-be ex spouse without their consent while they're still living together And a divorce is about to be or has been filed.Violence means any touching of your  spouse without their consent. Physical contact includes  hitting, pushing, shoving, or even attempts to kiss or make love without the consent of your spouse. Likewise No threats to do any of the above are allowed.

You may wake to a nasty surprise during divorce that your spouse has obtained a credit card in your name alone totally without your knowledge and has made large charges to it.Your spouse may obtain a credit card in your name by asking the card company to send a card to your home address in your name. Also companies still sometimes send unsolicited offers of credit to consumers homes through the mail ( or by email) even though this may be a violation of the Federal Truth in Lending Act or Illinois law.If your spouse uses the card issued in your name, during a divorce it can be difficult to …

A car accident is generally stressful and hectic for all involved.  Here are some useful tips if you ever find yourself in a car accident in the future.

Although infidelity is still a problematic issue for individuals going through a divorce, it’s no longer the leading cause of marriage dissolution, according to a new study. A research project conducted by Co-operative Legal Services analyzed more than 5 million divorces stretching all the way back to the 1970s. Chief among the findings from the study was the fact that people today are half as likely to list infidelity as the reason for their divorce.In the 1970s, 29 percent of divorces occurred after an issue or suspected issue with infidelity. Currently, only 15 percent of couples list …