Sometimes a life insurance policy may be the most valuable asset in an Illinois divorce.

A life insurance policy may be used to guarantee maintenance paid to a spouse as the result of a divorce.  If a husband dies, his surviving, former spouse will receive his life insurance proceeds as payment of his maintenance obligation.

In Illinois, what can I do in my divorce if my soon-to-be ex-husband is ordered to pay me maintenance, but he refuses to make me beneficiary of a life insurance  policy on his life to guarantee my maintenance?

Final Reason 10: Your oral agreement with your spouse is not worth the paper it is printed on.

Frequently you may trust your spouse, but not when there is money on the table or a divorce is in the air. Agreements made by a spouse verbally may not be adhered to when divorce takes place.

Statements made by your spouse to pay your support, expenses or "take care of you" after the divorce out of reassurance, guilt or anger which you would like to bring up in court most likely will not be a binding contract that a divorce judge will enforce. On the other hand,  you and your spouse can make valid written agreements that will be upheld by the divorce court.