After a divorce, it is common for an individual to go back to their maiden name or take the last name of the person they are remarrying. In Illinois, anyone who has undergone a divorce has the freedom to change their name whenever they would like.

Negotiating the allocation of parental responsibilities may try your emotions more than any aspect of your divorce. You are arguing for the time you get to spend with your children and the role you will play in their lives. A court will assume that you are both entitled to some responsibilities over your children but prefers to give a majority of the responsibility to one of you. The court will award primary responsibility to the parent who can best serve the children’s needs, and your actions during the case can influence a court’s decision. Here are five mistakes to avoid during a case …

Going through a divorce forces you to become familiar with the art of financial negotiations. All of your marital assets will be part of the division of property, and each asset must be evaluated to determine an equitable division. You also may need to determine what your obligations are towards child support or spousal maintenance. Such tasks can feel overwhelming, regardless of your experience in personal finances or business negotiations. Keep in mind these four strategies for getting through a divorce negotiation:

Co-parenting with a narcissist is a real challenge. If you have children with a narcissist you divorced, know that there are ways you can make co-parenting a bit easier. Here are some tips that can help you put your child’s needs first and make the best of this difficult situation.

When a married couple decides to get divorced, their largest concern is usually related to their children. They likely worry about how the end of their marriage will impact their children and hope that their children can adapt to a new lifestyle with minimal issues.

If you are considering divorce or have recently gone through the divorce process, you should know that there are new trends that may help you and your family cope with divorce and enjoy a high quality of life. Here is a brief overview of some of the common new divorce trends:

At one point in your life, you may come to the conclusion that a divorce is right for you and your family. To ensure you are well prepared and allow the process of ending your marriage to go as smoothly as possible, be sure to keep this pre-divorce checklist in mind.

The legal relationship between a father and his child is known as paternity in Illinois. When a child’s parents are married, legal action is not necessary to establish paternity. However, if their parents are not married, a court order or formal document is necessary for the establishment of paternity. If possible, both parents should start the process of proving paternity as soon as possible.

Divorce is a major life decision that can change your life forever. Before initiating the divorce process, you should make sure you are getting divorced for the right reasons. Below is a list of questions you should ask yourself when considering divorce. By answering these questions, you can determine whether or not a divorce makes sense for your particular situation.

When most people hear the word domestic violence, they think of physical and emotional abuse. However, financial abuse does not often come to mind. Financial abuse is a common yet overlooked type of domestic violence, which can make life a real challenge for a victim. Let’s take a closer look at the major warning signs of financial abuse.

Despite reaching a parenting agreement during their divorce or separation, it is common for co-parents to disagree with each other about parenting decisions afterward. Parents in a high-conflict relationship seem particularly adept at finding topics to argue about. You may wonder how effective your parenting agreement is if you continue to disagree on your parenting schedule and how to raise your children. Co-parents who anticipate continued conflict should create an agreement that is clear in stating how parental responsibilities will be allocated and when it will allow deviations.

Vehicles are important properties to decide on during your divorce. The division can be relatively simple if you each have one vehicle that you primarily use. You can likely agree on who gets each vehicle without needing a divorce court to make the decision for you. However, issues related to your marital vehicles are not always simple.