Tips for Couples Getting a Divorce in Illinois

If you and your spouse have come to the sad but critical decision that you need a divorce, you face significant challenges ahead, but there are some important tips that can help you make it to the other side as effectively and efficiently as possible. One of the most important first steps that you can take is consulting with an experienced Illinois divorce attorney early in the process. 

One: Obtain Your Own Divorce Attorneys

Even if you and your divorcing spouse are in complete harmony about every decision that needs to be made in your divorce, you need your own divorce attorneys. The fact is that you need an experienced attorney who is up to speed with your case and who has your best interests in mind to help ensure that the decisions you move forward with support both your parental and financial rights. There can also be hidden divorce factors, such as tax implications, that you may not have even considered. 

Two: Negotiate Between Yourselves to the Extent Possible

Divorce is so emotionally challenging that, even if you and your divorcing spouse are fully committed to an amicable divorce, things can quickly go south. Ultimately, you and your divorcing spouse do not need to focus on anything other than squaring the terms of your divorce, and if you can keep your focus solely on this endeavor (aided by the skilled legal guidance of your respective divorce attorneys), it can help you avoid some common divorce pitfalls. These divorce terms include:

• Parental responsibilities and parenting time
• The division of marital property
• Child support 
• Spousal support (also known as alimony)

Three: Set Your Divorce Priorities

When you enter into divorce negotiations with your spouse, it pays to have a strategy, and the most important element of this strategy is to have your divorce priorities straight. Taking a scattershot approach in which you go for the gusto but have no focus is not likely to do you any favors. If, for example, your goal is to remain in your family home with your children (in the role of the primary custodial parent), let this be your guide. The more leverage you have when it comes to your negotiations, the more likely you are to reach your carefully considered goals. 

Four: Follow Your Experienced Divorce Attorney’s Lead

You need an experienced divorce attorney on your side for very important reasons, which include protecting your rights, exploring your best divorce options, skillfully moving the negotiations forward, and helping you make the right decisions for you. Your divorce attorney has a wealth of experience guiding cases like yours toward favorable resolutions, and he or she is not bogged down by the emotions that naturally color your view. By working closely with your divorce attorney, you help ensure that your divorce will proceed as smoothly as possible.  

An Experienced Illinois Divorce Attorney Can Help

Cameron H. Goodman at Goodman Law Firm in Oak Brook, Illinois, is a dedicated divorce attorney who is committed to skillfully advocating for your case’s optimal outcome. For more information, please do not wait to contact us today.