An uncontested divorce in Illinois can be fast, affordable, and with a lawyer who charges a flat fee. To get started now, you can an Illinois divorce lawyer at 224-300-0529. Or if you would like to know more about uncontested divorce, check out my 5 must-read articles.
1: FAQ – Uncontested divorce lawyer
If you want to get a quick and easy divorce in Illinois, an uncontested divorce is the way to go. Many people also want a cheap divorce. Either way, there are some things you should know about the role of an uncontested divorce lawyer. So I wrote this article about that – it’s an FAQ about the role of an uncontested divorce lawyer in Illinois. This explains some of the advantages of using a flat-fee divorce lawyer in terms of document preparation, dealing with the procedure involved, and helping to make sure you are protected.
2: Where to get divorce in Illinois
People frequently have questions about where they can get divorced in Illinois. Some people want to get divorce in downtown Chicago, even though they don’t live there. Others are already split up and want to get divorce in different counties. I wrote this article about where to get divorce. The article applies to everyone in Illinois, even though it’s titled “I live in Evanston, where can I get divorced?”
3: How can I start an uncontested divorce?
There just something magical about starting a divorce in Illinois – or so some people seem to think. As an an uncontested divorce lawyer, I often get calls where people are asking me how to start a divorce. I usually tell them they don’t have to worry about that if they hire me. But realizing people still have questions about this, I wrote this article. I hope it sheds some light on the process. That being said, keep in mind that the fastest and easiest way to get divorce in Illinois is usually to use an uncontested divorce lawyer who charges a flat fee.
4: Splitting Retirement in Divorce
Generally, most people want to stop going to court for a divorce once they are actually divorce. But did you know that in Illinois you might be required to litigate your divorce even after you’re divorced?
It’s called post-decree litigation (meaning after the divorce decree has been issued). One of the most common topics for post-decree litigation is the division of retirement accounts. That includes accounts such as a pension, 401k, 403b, deferred compensation, and military retirement accounts.
The reasons retirement account division is often litigated after a divorce is because a divorce decree (more accurately called a “judgement for dissolution of marriage”) often requires people to take action with their retirement accounts after a divorce. That makes sense since people often get divorced before they are retired.
Dividing retirement accounts can involve the following steps:
- Performing a valuation: Often a divorce actuary will be needed to determine what portion of the retirement account is marital (and therefore subject to division in a divorce). Actuaries perform various calculations based on the nature of one’s retirement account and life circumstances in order to indicate what percentage of a retirement account is subject to division in a divorce (because it is marital property).
- Draft retirement division order: Special orders are needed to divide certain retirement accounts. For example, for most pensions and 401k accounts it’s called a qualified domestic relations order, or QDRO. Or if the pension or 403b account is from a governmental body in Illinois – like the state, city, or county, it might be called an qualified Illinois domestic relations order, or QILDRO. You might want to check out this article I wrote about dividing retirement.
5: Busting divorce myths
Thanks to the Internet, gossip, and that friend who seems to know everything, people have a lot of erroneous ideas about getting divorced in Illinois. I find most often people think an uncontested divorce is more complicated than it really is. Some people even think they cannot get an uncontested divorce in Illinois.
So that’s why I wrote this article – to bust some of the most common divorce myths. In that article I cover topics such as allocation of parental responsibilities (formerly called “child custody”), hiring an uncontested lawyer for a flat fee, dividing assets (including retirement accounts), and more.