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.

1. No Control of Finances

Often, one spouse is better equipped to handle finances than the other and takes care of most of the family’s money management. Although this scenario is perfectly okay, sometimes, it can get out of hand. When one spouse takes complete control of the finances and prevents the other from accessing funds or information, there is an issue. If the spouse who is not involved in the family finances only pays cash for items and/or does not have access to a checkbook or credit card, financial abuse may be taking place.

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.

In addition, divorcing parents wonder how to break the news of their divorce to their children. If you are getting divorced and are unsure of how to tell your children, these tips are sure to help.

Tell Children Together

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.

A Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity Form

In Illinois, the easiest method of establishing paternity is for both parents to sign a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity. An Administrative Paternity Order by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Child Support Services, or a court Order of Paternity are other options. In the event it is unclear who the father may be, parties should not sign the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity.

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.

When it comes to changing the last names of children, however, the law is a tad more complex. Following a divorce, a judge will take a child’s best interests into consideration when deciding whether to approve a last name change. Under Illinois law, a judge is required to ask the following questions when a parent would like to change their child’s last name:

• Does the child’s other parent approve of the last name change?
• Is the child okay with changing their last name?
• What type of relationship does the child have with their other parent and family members? For example, does the child have a poor relationship with the father whose last name they currently have?

Why Change a Child’s Name

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:

Divorce Coaches

Divorce can be overwhelming, making divorce coaches invaluable resources. A divorce coach can serve as a counselor and help a couple get through the difficulties of divorce. They can also provide valuable advice regarding parenting or finances.