Asset commingling occurs when separate property, such as money owned by one spouse before the marriage, becomes mixed with marital property subject to division during divorce. This often happens in everyday life. For instance, you might have deposited your inheritance...
Co-parenting after a separation or divorce can be undeniably challenging. Thankfully, modern technology is empowering co-parents to develop healthy arrangements in ways that would have been unheard of just a few decades ago. For example, virtual visitation, which...
Abraham Lincoln, Springfield’s most famous resident, left behind more than just a political legacy. His approach to personal matters, including estate planning, offers valuable lessons for modern residents. While Lincoln’s brilliance as a leader is well-known, his...
How do you know your marriage is really over? This is the question that can keep a lot of people in unhappy marriages up at night – and stuck in place. Dr. John Gottman, a renowned relationship expert and psychologist, has identified four indicators that a...
A trustee is tasked with ensuring that a trust is properly managed. They’re responsible for tracking income and expenses, and they must distribute trust assets to identified beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of the trust’s documentations. These are heavy...
Estate planning can be a great way to keep your legacy intact and provide for your loved ones after you're gone. But life sometimes throws curveballs that complicate even the most carefully laid plans. Things can go awry if a beneficiary you named in your estate...
End-of-life planning isn't just for older adults or those facing health crises. It's a valuable process for any adult who wants to maintain autonomy and protect their loved ones from unnecessary burdens. Understanding its importance is a good first step towards...
Your standard of living is going to change after a divorce. Lifestyle changes often accompany this. Money doesn’t seem to go as far, for many people. It could be because you are used to living on two incomes, but now you are just living on one. Gender is important...
Estate planning is essential for everyone, but for same-sex couples in Illinois, it involves unique considerations that require careful attention. Although same-sex marriage was legalized in Illinois in 2014, these couples might face specific challenges that are not...
If your spouse files for divorce, you should be served a divorce petition. There are a few ways that they can do this, such as serving you through publication, hiring someone to serve you or simply serving you the papers themselves. After they do so, the paperwork...