There are so many different elements to your divorce that you need to handle. You may not even realize some are important until they become a problem. Going through a divorce can be the most emotionally painful experience of your life. It may be so painful, in fact, that you forget to take care of yourself and handle crucial details. You may be blindsided and unprepared. A Springfield divorce lawyer can help you prepare for every aspect of your divorce.

Dealing With a Divorce in Illinois

Your feelings towards your divorce may differ depending on whether you are the one pursuing divorce or the one who is served the papers. Either way, there’s a strong chance the entire experience will be generally unpleasant and hard to handle without a support system or legal help. After all, nobody who gets married expects to one day get divorced. Marriage is supposed to be forever. When it ends prematurely, it can really hurt.

As you navigate what is likely to be a difficult process, it is important to consistently prioritize your health and handle your emotional pain, and doing this at a low cost might be necessary for you. Otherwise, you may forget to handle certain important details, such as removing your spouse from your estate plan or changing the locks on your home.

Your divorce is going to affect every part of your life, from your circle of friends to your job performance and even your relationship with your kids. However, you can protect yourself and the important people in your life.

A divorce is more than just signing away your marriage and instantly moving on with your life. To fully move on, you will have to completely disentangle your life from your spouse’s life, and this is easier said than done. A total disentanglement involves separating your finances, determining an effective co-parenting relationship if kids are involved, and ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of assets, which the courts may help you with.

Recent information gathered by the CDC shows that Illinois has a considerably lower divorce rate, especially when compared to the rest of the country. The divorce rate in Illinois is only 1.1 per 1,000 residents as of 2022. However, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), over 52% of polled individuals said they were married as of 2022. Local divorce support groups like The Lilac Tree can help you figure out your next steps and cope with your divorce.

Prioritizing Yourself During a Divorce

It’s not going to be easy to cope with your divorce. You may be struggling with the facts and wondering how to proceed from your current position. You should consider hiring an experienced divorce lawyer who can help you determine the right course of action for your divorce case and make sure you don’t get taken advantage of by your spouse or their legal team. Here are some of the things you can do to prioritize yourself and your health in your divorce:

  • One of the most important things you can do is build a sound support system for yourself. Take comfort in friends, family, work colleagues, and people who just want to see you succeed. You don’t have to go through this thing alone. If you don’t have many friends or family members to lean on, consider taking comfort in a support group or a therapist.

  • Don’t be afraid to establish boundaries with your former spouse. Even after you have divorced, they may still think they deserve a space in your life. It’s up to you to decide just how firm you want your boundaries to be. If you feel comfortable letting them be a part of your life, you can do this. Just remember that you don’t have to, and you no longer have legal ties to them.

    Even if you are co-parenting, you don’t have to involve them in any other aspects of your life. Only you can decide how much you want your ex-spouse to have a presence in your future.

  • It may be comforting to establish goals that you can work towards. Many people find it good to have something to look forward to. You may want to save for a solo vacation, a relocation to a new city, or a new car. This goal should be just for you, as it can be beneficial to focus on the future ahead of you.

FAQs

Q: Why Should I Hire a Divorce Lawyer?

A: There are many different reasons why you should hire a divorce lawyer. Above all, you will want someone on your side who understands how the law works and can provide you with realistic expectations. It can be difficult to navigate your divorce without legal help. A good lawyer can help you anticipate setbacks as they arise and give you the time you need to adjust to a new normal.

Q: How Are Assets Divided in Illinois?

A: In an Illinois divorce, assets are distributed in accordance with equitable distribution. Through this model, the court determines a fair split of assets where each spouse gets what they are owed from the marriage. It’s important to note that a fair division of assets is not necessarily an equal one. The court considers many different elements, including the total length of the marriage and each spouse’s contributions to the marriage.

Q: How Is Custody Decided in Illinois?

A: In Illinois, child custody arrangements are always decided in accordance with what the child needs. The court prioritizes what is right for the child. This could mean refusing your requests or your spouse’s requests. The court may decide to award full custody to just one parent if they decide the child is better off that way. Most of the time, the court prefers to push for joint custody.

Q: How Do I Know if Divorce Is the Right Choice to Make?

A: There is no easy answer to this. You are the only one who can determine whether a divorce is the right choice to make. Everyone’s needs in a marriage are different, and if those needs are ignored or disrespected, it may be time for you to consider divorce. If you want to try and work things out first, you should. A divorce is often a last resort for people who have already tried to keep their marriage together.

Contact Us Today

At Stange Law Firm, we can help you work out the details of your divorce. Contact us to speak to a member of our team about your case.