Chicago Divorce Lawyers Can Help with Spousal Support

Child support payments are generally a given in any marriage dissolution in which minor children are involved. However, spousal support is something else entirely. Once called alimony, spousal support remains a hotly contested issue on both sides of the fence. Chicago divorce lawyers can help you understand your obligations and what to expect in the way of spousal support, and will also ensure that any support arrangement is fair and equitable for both parties.

What Is Spousal Support?

This type of support comes in the form of financial payments made to a spouse after a divorce decree has been granted. Generally, these payments are made to the spouse who is losing income or suffering a drastic change of living circumstances due to the divorce. Chicago divorce lawyers stipulate that there are four types of support the judge might order. These include:

Periodic Maintenance – Periodic maintenance, or rehabilitative maintenance, is a short-term form of spousal support designed to provide financial assistance until the other spouse has had a chance to regain their financial footing.

Permanent Maintenance – According to Chicago divorce lawyers, permanent maintenance is usually granted to spouses who are unable to support themselves at all after a divorce, due to physical/medical conditions, age and other factors.

Maintenance in Gross – This is a lump sum payment or a series of payments that will add up to a specific amount (the gross of the support order).

Temporary Maintenance – According to Chicago divorce lawyers, temporary maintenance is granted to a spouse who requires financial assistance before the divorce is fully in place.
As you can see, there are numerous areas here that require the knowledge and experience of a divorce attorney. You cannot afford to go it alone – make sure you have the right attorney on your side.

A Chicago Divorce Attorney Can Help Ensure Fathers’ Rights Are Upheld

In the “traditional” world of divorce, mothers are the ones who need the most help, or at least that was the sense of things in the past. Today, the situation is changing. More and more, courts are realizing that a father’s rights matter as well. If you’re about to experience a divorce, and want to ensure that your rights to your children are protected, a Chicago divorce attorney can help.

Visitation

One of the most important rights of a father in a noncustodial situation is visitation. A Chicago divorce attorney will ensure that an equitable visitation schedule is drawn up that provides the minor child with sufficient time with the father. In the instance that the custodial parent attempts to withhold visitation as a form of punishment for a real or perceived infraction, the attorney will also be able to help the father enforce the letter of the divorce decree and protect his visitation rights with his child.

Child Support

Noncustodial fathers might not be part of the household, but they do have a responsibility to support their minor child. This is done through a financial arrangement for child support. A specific amount will be set per week or month. A Chicago divorce attorney will ensure that the amount of child support set is fair to both the father and the child by conducting a thorough evaluation of the father’s current financial situation.

Filing for Custody

Child custody is a hotly debated thing. While the mother is most often awarded custody, that doesn’t mean that fathers cannot win in court. With the help of a skilled Chicago divorce attorney, you can determine if custody is possible, what needs to be done and then proceed with the divorce.

An expert Chicago divorce lawyer can help fathers protect their rights to their children during and after a divorce.