Uncontested Divorce in Illinois

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  • Child Support in Uncontested Divorce: the basics

    “How much child support should be paid in an uncontested divorce?” As an uncontested divorce lawyer, that’s one of the most common questions I get.

    That’s why I wrote this article about child support in uncontested divorce.

    How to Agree to Child Support

    An uncontested divorce is about agreement between the parties. They agree to all aspects of the divorce. That includes child support. A martial settlement agreement (MSA) spells out the terms of the divorce. Child support is agreed to in the MSA.

    You should know that a judge must approve of the terms of your divorce. Does your divorce involve kids? The judge will want to know about the child support arrangement.

    The judge does not have to approve of every MSA. If the judge does not approve your MSA, you won’t be divorced when you planned. None of my clients have had to come back to court for that reason.

    Illinois child support guidelines – and deviation

    Want the judge to approve your MSA? Make sure it contains child support provisions that the judge finds reasonable.

    In Illinois, there are statutory guidelines for child support. Generally, if you stick to the guidelines, the judge will approve your MSA.

    Section 505 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act lays out the following guidelines for child support in Illinois.

    • one child: 20% of net income
    • two: 28% of net income
    • three children: 32% of net income
    • four children: 40% of net income
    • five children: 45% of net income
    • six or more children: 50% of net income

    But child support does not have to exactly follow the guidelines. Are you going to split time with your kids 50/50? Then perhaps there will be no child support paid by either party. You an also deviate from child support guidelines for various other reasons. It’s best to consult a lawyer to get guidance on whether or not a judge would approve the child support provisions you are considering.

    Net income for child support purposes

    I provided my clients an Illinois child support calculator. This way, my clients can estimate what amount of child support a judge might order. That amount can then serve as the basis for agreeing on the child support provision of an MSA.

    Child support and spousal maintenance (alimony)

    If a divorce involves both child support and spousal maintenance (formerly known as alimony), there are various tax strategies that can benefit both parties. I find that many times when people contact me for an uncontested divorce in Illinois they are unaware of such strategies.

     

    Moving ahead with uncontested divorce

    If you are having problems agreeing on child support for your uncontested divorce in Illinois, I might be able to help. I’m experience in helping couples reach agreement to minimize agony and expenses.

     

  • Online Divorce = Risky Business.

    As a divorce lawyer in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kendall and Kane counties, my goal is to help people get an affordable and relatively fast divorce.

    If you are like most sane people – you don’t like to spend money on lawyers. Heck, I don’t, and I’m a lawyer.  I’ve found that many married who want to get an affordable divorce are tempted into the dark realm of what is often referred to as “online divorce” – basically a website that will spit out papers that put your future at risk. Be warned, the dangers of non-lawyer websites can become apparent years after a divorce.  I wrote this article to help you avoid trouble with online divorce scams. (more…)

  • DuPage County Divorce: can be quick, affordable

    I recently handled an uncontested divorce in DuPage County. It was fast – the entire process took less than one month. If you are looking for an Illinois divorce lawyer in DuPage County, I can move quickly on your case and help you move on with life.

    You also may want to see my article titled “Process for an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois.”

    DuPage County Divorce

    DuPage County may be the quickest county in Illinois in which to get a divorce.

    The DuPage County circuit clerk staff is very helpful, and they allow lawyers to file cases online – speeding up the entire process. Then after everything is filed, I move quickly to schedule a prove up date with the court – that’s where the divorce is finalized.

    That’s how I was recently able to complete a divorce there in less than one month.

    The court is located at 505 N County Farm Rd, Wheaton, Illinois.

    [schema type=”organization” orgtype=”GovernmentOrganization” url=”http://www.dupageco.org/Courts/Facilities/4820/” name=”DuPage County Illinois Divorce Court” description=”Where to get a divorce in DuPage County, Illinois.” street=”505 N County Farm Rd” city=”Wheaton” state=”IL” postalcode=”60187″ country=”US” phone=”(630) 407-8700″ ]

    Cost of divorce in DuPage County

    I offer my divorce service for a flat fee in DuPage County. While the flat fee may vary depending upon the complexity of the divorce, it will almost surely be more affordable then being billed by the hour by an expensive lawyer. Further, there are filing fees for both parties.

    DuPage County divorce lawyer

    I handle uncontested divorce cases in DuPage County. You can contact me here.

    However, I also handled cases in the following areas:

    I practice in the following counties, and others:

    • Cook County
    • DuPage County
    • Lake County
    • Will County
    • Kane County

    I practice in the following cities, and others:

    • Chicago
    • Evanston
    • Skokie
    • Schaumburg
    • Naperville
    • Aurora
    • Elmhurst
    • Oak Park
    • Joliet
    • Geneva

  • You ask: Do I need a divorce lawyer?

    Some people wander “Do  I need a lawyer for an uncontested divorce in Illinois?”

    If you want an affordable, relatively quick divorce, then an uncontested divorce is the way to go.

    But make not mistake – just because your divorce might not involve fighting doesn’t mean you don’t need a lawyer. You can contact me to start your divorce.

    Check out the following tips for deciding if you need an Illinois divorce attorney. You might also like to read my article “Warnings for Uncontested Divorce.”

    (more…)

  • Amicable Divorce, meet Affordable Lawyer

    As an uncontested divorce lawyer in Illinois, I help people through divorce in counties including Cook, Lake, Will, DuPage, Kane, and Kendall counties. The court houses look different. Sometimes their are different divorce forms to fill out. And of course, the judges are different.

    But one thing remains the same, regardless of the county. People want to know . . .

    How can I get an amicable divorce?

    (more…)

  • Joliet Divorce Lawyer: Will County divorce can be easy, affordable

    As a Joliet divorce lawyer, I have developed a streamlined process by which clients can get an uncontested divorced in Will County.  My goal is to make my clients’ divorces quick, and affordable. If you are ready to get started, contact me.

    Please review this article and contact me about a divorce in Joliet. You also may want to see my article titled “Process for an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois.”

    Will County divorce court

    Getting divorced in Will County can be easy, and affordable. Once I gather information from my client, documents are prepared, reviewed, then each spouse gets all the documents he or she has to sign. The best part is, my client only has to go to court once – at the end, when the divorce is finalized at what is called a “prove up.”

    The court is located at 14 W Jefferson St., Joliet, Illinois 60432.

    [schema type=”organization” orgtype=”Organization” url=”http://www.willcountycircuitcourt.com/” name=”The Circuit Court of Will County” description=”The Circuit Court of Will County. Where to get a divorce in Joliet, Will County.” street=”14 W Jefferson St.” city=”Joliet” state=”IL” postalcode=”60432″ country=”US” email=”circuit_clerk@willcountyillinois.com” phone=”(815) 727-8592″ ]

    Cost of divorce in Will County

    There are several types of costs involved in an uncontested case.

    • Lawyer’s fee: I offer flat fees for uncontested divorces. 
    • Court filing fee: There is a fee to file the case, and a fee for the other party to respond. The fee to file the case is $276, and the fee to respond is $161, that’s a total of $437.Click here to see the Will County Circuit Court schedule of fees. It does not matter who pays the fee, one spouse can pay the whole thing, it can be split equally, or each can pay his or her own fee (an unequal split).
    • Transcript fee: Most courts require a transcript fee. Last time I handled a divorce in Will County, they did not require the parties to buy a trascript.

    Joliet and Will County divorce lawyer

    I handle uncontested divorce cases in Will County. You can contact me here.

    However, I also handled cases in the following areas:

    I practice in the following counties, and others:

    • Cook County
    • DuPage County
    • Lake County
    • Will County
    • Kane County

    I practice in the following cities, and others:

    • Chicago
    • Evanston
    • Skokie
    • Schaumburg
    • Naperville
    • Aurora
    • Elmhurst
    • Oak Park
    • Joliet
    • Geneva

  • Kendall county divorce: Streamlined process

    If you would like to get a divorce in Kendall County, I can make the process very simple for you. As an Illinois uncontested divorce lawyer, minimizing disruptions to my clients’ lives is one of my chief concerns. If you are ready to get started, contact me.

    I recently handled an uncontested divorce in Kendall County,  and it went very smoothly. So I wanted to share the experience. You also may want to see my article titled “Process for an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois.”

    Kendall County divorce court

    Getting divorced in Kendall County can be easy, and affordable. With the system I used, when you file for an uncontested divorce in Kendall County you only have to go to court once – at the end.

    Cost of divorce in Kendall County

    There are several types of costs involved in an uncontested case.

    • Lawyer’s fee: I offer flat fees for uncontested divorces. 
    • Court filing fee: There is a fee to file the case, and a fee for the other party to respond. At the time of the writing of this article, the total fee or both parties was $346.
    • Transcript fee: the court requires that a transcript be produced of the prove-up for a divorce (the appearance in court where the divorce is finalized). The last time I handled a Kendall county divorce, the transcript fee was $60.

    Kendall County divorce lawyer

    I handled uncontested divorce cases in Kendall County. You can contact me here.

    However, I also handled cases in the following areas:

    I practice in the following counties, and others:

    • Cook County
    • DuPage County
    • Lake County
    • Will County
    • Kane County

    I practice in the following cities, and others:

    • Chicago
    • Evanston
    • Skokie
    • Schaumburg
    • Naperville
    • Aurora
    • Elmhurst
    • Oak Park
    • Joliet
    • Geneva

  • Warnings for an Uncontested Divorce

    If you want a divorce, and you are also sane, you probably want an uncontested divorce. As a Chicago family law attorney, I help my clients with uncontested divorces in Chicago, and elsewhere in Illinois. If you are ready to get started, contact me here.

    I get calls from people all the time. They ask, “Can I get an uncontested divorce?”

    You probably can. But you should be aware of problems that might occur.

    Possible problems in an Uncontested Divorce

    Many of my clients find me when seeking an uncontested divorce in Illinois. I always hope it works out for them,

    • Children: In a divorce, child custody issues can be complicated. Even where parents are aiming for an amicable divorce, they sometimes realize they do not agree on how to handle the children. Matters with children are one of those areas were a small problem can create a much longer one.
    • House that is underwater: In today’s market, many homeowners own homes on which their mortgage balance is greater than the value of the home. This situation can several strain a marriage, and a divorce – because people cannot agree on how to divide the debt. If spouses can’t agree on how to get out of a home, they probably won’t be able to agree to how to get out of a marriage.
    • Mental illness in the marriage: If one spouse suffers from a mental illness, particularly one that is untreated, coming to a sensible marital settlement agreement can be difficult.
    • One spouse is uninformed: In an uncontested divorce, the idea is that people are working together. However,if one spouse is uninformed as to his or her rights before coming to an agreement, then becomes aware of his or her rights before the divorce actually occurs, the entire process could be derailed.
    • Nasty divorce lawyers: It’s sad to say, but some lawyers operate in a totally unethical manner. They try to stoke in order to run up the bill. Spouses who have truly talked about most issue in the divorce, and who are interested in an uncontested divorce in Illinois, could benefit from choosing their lawyers wisely.

    Starting an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois

    If you are interested in an uncontested divorce in Chicago, or elsewhere in Illinois, I can probably help you with that. In Cook County, the process can be as fast as two weeks. Other counties vary depending upon the process they use, and the judge who will hear your case.You might want to read my article titled “Process for Uncontested Divorce in Illinois.” Contact me here to get started.

     

  • Uncontested divorce in Chicago: 7 Tips

    If you want to end our marriage and you are reading this article, you might already be aware that an uncontested divorce in Illinois is the most affordable and quickest way to get divorced.

    As an uncontested divorce lawyer in Chicago, I put together the following 7 tips to help you through the process. If you are ready to started your uncontested divorce, contact me here.

    1) Recognize the Two Divorces

    While divorce is a legal process, it is also an emotional one.

    I can help you with the legal process of getting divorced. To learn a bit more about this, see my article “Process for an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois.” Or. for an overview of the issues involved, see my article “What is an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois?”

    For the emotional divorce, you may want to work with a therapist   Most of my clients don’t require a therapist, but it can be productive for some.

    2) Recognize the Benefits of an Uncontested Divorce

    An uncontested divorce is a cooperative process. Both spouses sign the necessary documents, communicate, and reach an agreement as to property settlement, alimony, child custody, and child support.

    Cooperation is key so the more cooperative and communicative you can be, the better.

    Here are the benefits of an uncontested divorce:

    1. Less stress and expedited healing
    2. Faster final divorce decree
    3. More control over your property settlement, alimony agreement, custody arrangement, and child support terms
    4. Lower legal fees
    5. Easier on the children

    3) Understand the Uncontested Divorce Process

    You will feel so much more comfortable when you know what to expect during the divorce process. Below describes considerations for the uncontested divorce process:

    1. Gather your financial information: This can be done prior to obtaining a lawyer. But most of my clients do it after they retain me, since I help them understand what is needed.
    2. Engage the legal process: This will be the primary responsibility of your attorney

    4) Understand the Prove-Up

    The “prove-up” is where the divorce is finalized.

    Relax: The Hearing is a Formality Only

    The uncontested divorce hearing is a formality only. The hard work is over.

    You have already negotiated a Settlement Agreement with your spouse and appearing in court is just a hoop to jump through to obtain the final decree.

    5) Review the Terms of Your Settlement Agreement

    Your lawyer should discuss the terms of the settlement agreement with you in the course of drafting the settlement agreement, and afterwards.

    I often talk with my clients before the

    6) What the Uncontested Divorce Hearing is Not

    The uncontested divorce hearing is not a time to air dirty laundry about your spouse or your divorce. It’s a process to obtain a final judgment of divorce only. The court is not in the slightest interested in what’s happened in the past is no longer legally relevant.

    7) What to Do After the Divorce is Finalized

    Keep your divorce decree, Settlement Agreement, and other important papers in a safe place such as a fire safe. Keep them forever, but maintain a copy in a handy place for more regular ease of reference. You should make a list of all of your post-divorce administrative to-dos, such as changing your Last Will and Testament, beneficiary designations on life insurance, change title ownerships to vehicles, divide accounts as per the terms of the final agreement, etc. While there may be some clean-up work to accomplish, at this point, you’ve made it. Congratulations!

    Finding an Uncontested Divorce Lawyer

    As an uncontested divorce lawyer in Chicago, I can help people get an affordable divorce in Illinois. If you are ready to started your uncontested divorce, contact me here.

    I practice in the following counties, and others:

    • Cook County
    • DuPage County
    • Lake County
    • Will County
    • Kane County
    • Kendall County

    I practice in the following cities, and others:

    • Chicago
    • Evanston
    • Skokie
    • Schaumburg
    • Naperville
    • Aurora
    • Elmhurst
    • Oak Park
    • Joliet
    • Geneva

  • When it’s time to get divorced

    As a Chicago divorce lawyer, I often run into people who are wondering how to tell their husbands and wives they want a divorce in Illinois. If you are considering divorce, consider some of points below when thinking about your situation. If you are ready to get started with a divorce, you can contact me here.

    You can’t do anything right

    If you feel you are never right in your marriage, it doesn’t really matter if you are right or wrong. The situation is unsustainable.

    Sex is virtually totally unappealing

    Some people think divorce is wrong, because of religious reasons. Others stay together for the kids. But if sex is totally unappealing to you, you might get sick of living as roommates. If that’s the case, divorce might be an option to explore.

    Love has been replaced by resentment

    Feelings of resentment come from being hurt by your spouse.  There is nothing wrong with feeling hurt by the actions of another. A marriage dies when spouses harbor hurt feelings and do nothing about them – that’s when resentment builds. From resentment grows bitterness and hostility, feelings hard to work through and more than likely mean the end of a marriage.

    Moving on

    As a family law attorney in Illinois, I can help you strategize regarding telling your spouse that you want a divorce.  Or if you and your spouse have already agreed you need a divorce, I can help guide you through the process of an uncontested divorce in Illinois.

    You can contact me here to get started.