Collaborative divorce in Illinois aims to support those who choose to leave their marriage while preserving their family. With a collaborative divorce, disputes are resolved outside of court by cooperatively negotiating fair settlements between the parties and their lawyers. Instead of contentious negotiations and solutions enforced by the court, the emphasis is on constructive problem resolution based on the unique and common values of divorcing couples. 

More and more divorce cases in Illinois are being handled collaboratively, particularly since the Illinois Collaborative Process Act was adopted in 2018. At the Andrew Cores Family Law Group, our collaborative divorce lawyers have the experience to help you resolve your divorce without using an adversarial litigation process. 

Because the parties agree not to litigate, a collaborative divorce could be more affordable than a typical divorce. If the collaborative procedure is unsuccessful, both attorneys are required to resign from your case. This is confirmed in a signed agreement by the attorneys and both parties. Because it allows for more innovative solutions to a family's challenges, the collaborative procedure could also take less time than a trial.

A divorce is already a complex event in a person’s life. Depending on your situation, you can have an amicable and relatively simple divorce arrangement, or you can have a more complex divorce process such as one where high assets and disputed child-related issues are involved.

At the Andrew Cores Family Law Group, we understand how difficult a complex divorce can be for our clients and we work hard to ensure their rights and interests are protected. Our divorce attorneys have the resources and the experience you need to achieve a favorable outcome, no matter how complex your divorce may be. 

High Asset Divorces

Dividing marital assets during the divorce process is never easy, but it becomes even more contentious and challenging when wealthy couples attempt to divide their assets equally after their marriage.

Considerations about money and property are frequently among the most challenging aspects of divorce. Depending on the contents of your marital estate, dividing your assets can be both very complicated and profoundly emotional.

At the Andrew Cores Family Law Group, we are aware of how challenging divorces may be when a company or professional practice is considered to be a component of the marital estate. If you are getting divorced, it is important to understand the process of business valuation and your rights to your marital assets. 

Three Ways to Value Your Business During a Divorce

There is no one-size-fits-all method for valuing a business during a divorce, and an experienced lawyer and forensic accountant will often select one of the following three approaches:

It is smart to think about the advantages of a prenuptial agreement if you are getting married or considering asking your significant other to marry you. Contrary to common misconception, signing a "prenup" is not only a way to "get ready for divorce," and in many circumstances, having an established agreement throughout a marriage will be advantageous for both parties. 

Without the help of an experienced attorney, it can be challenging to secure the legitimacy of a prenuptial agreement because the rules governing them are continuously changing. Our attorneys at the Andrew Cores Family Law Group keep up with case law developments and adapt any new knowledge to the issues and circumstances of our clients. We will help you ensure that your prenuptial agreement complies with all current legislation to avoid having it declared void.

What Can a Prenuptial Agreement Cover?

In Illinois, prenuptial agreements may cover any or all of the following topics:

In the state of Illinois, the law calls alimony “spousal maintenance” and it could potentially be long-term if the receiving spouse is unable to make a living or if the marriage was also long-term. Despite whether or not someone feels they should have to support their spouse financially, a judge will apply the law and both parties will have to follow the guidelines in the law.  

It is possible for a couple to get divorced without involving spousal maintenance, but if a judge orders it in their particular divorce case, alimony must be a part of the conversation regarding finances during the divorce process. Because it could be a requirement in divorce proceedings, it is important to understand the four kinds of alimony. 

Temporary Alimony

A spouse who is granted temporary alimony (otherwise known as "temporary maintenance") receives money while the divorce is still proceeding. Temporary alimony is typically granted in situations when the couple has made the decision to live apart, or when the receiving spouse does not have the ability to pay for their own cost of living and attorneys’ fees, and is meant to fund the recipient's living costs throughout the divorce. While it is possible to file a request later on during the divorce process, a spouse who wants temporary alimony should include the request in his or her divorce petition. Once the divorce is finalized, all interim alimony payments cease.