The process of ending a marriage tends to inspire emotional, financial, social, and practical challenges. As a result, it is easy for this period of life to become overwhelming. Oftentimes, individuals who are navigating divorce can get caught up with whatever pressing issue is affecting their experience most profoundly and immediately. Only after time has passed, does it become easier to see that they may have spent a great deal of time missing the forest for the trees in ways that have impacted their future. Therefore, it is a good idea for individuals who are starting to navigate the divorce process to clarify their priorities as soon as they possibly can.

Fighting (Only) the Good Fight

The primary reason why it is so important to set your priorities at the start of the divorce process is that, in doing so, you will be empowered to pick your battles in informed ways. Only you can know whether digging your heels in concerning certain assets, a specific child custody arrangement, detailed parenting plan terms, etc. is worth your time and energy. Once you know which fights are worth fighting, you can direct your efforts accordingly and reserve the remainder of your energy for building the next phase of your life.

Getting caught up in the heat of the moment is understandable during divorce. Yet, it is not a wise approach when someone is capable of a more focused, nuanced approach. It is true that knowledge is power. By knowing what your priorities are, you can exercise your personal power as effectively as possible.

In a typical divorce case, the person who initiates the divorce, called the petitioner, serves the divorce petition and summons to the other spouse. The other spouse has the opportunity to participate in the divorce process and have his or her opinion heard regarding property division, child custody, and other divorce issues.

But what happens if you want to get divorced and you cannot find your spouse? Will you be forced to stay married? Fortunately, Illinois law has provisions addressing this challenging situation. You will still be able to get divorced even if you cannot locate your spouse and serve them divorce paperwork, but doing so may be complicated.

Divorce By Publication in Illinois

The term “serving” refers to the act of providing the divorce petition and summons to the other spouse. In some divorce cases, the petitioner simply hands the other spouse the divorce paperwork. In other cases, divorce paperwork is served by a process server or sheriff. However, in order to serve divorce paperwork to the other spouse, you must know where he or she is.

Financial disclosure is an essential part of the divorce process. Whether spouses are able to work out a divorce settlement without the court’s involvement, or the case goes all the way to trial, no decisions can be made without complete financial information.

However, some spouses fail to disclose truthful financial data during the divorce. They lie about their income or the sources of income, undervalue assets such as business interests, or fail to disclose property or funds.

If you are getting divorced, make sure you are truthful on your financial disclosure forms. Financial fraud can have significant legal consequences. Additionally, look for warning signs that could mean your spouse is hiding assets or failing to disclose income during the divorce. If your spouse is not truthful about financial matters, it can significantly impact the divorce outcome.

Finances affect nearly every aspect of a divorce case, including property and debt division, child support, and spousal maintenance. To properly address these issues and end their marriage, divorcing spouses must provide a full accounting of their wages, property, debts, and expenses. Financial transparency during divorce is not only ethical, but it is also required by law. Spouses who hide money or property, lie about their earnings, or fabricate financial data can face serious penalties and may even be held in contempt of court.

How Do Spouses Misrepresent Finances in a Divorce?

Divorcing spouses who want to gain an advantage in a divorce case may lie about their financial circumstances. For example, a parent who is required to pay child support may report income from one job, but not the “under the table” cash earnings he or she gets from a second job.

Spouses may hide money or property by temporarily transferring the property to friends or family, relocating funds to offshore accounts, or even purposefully overpaying the IRS. Business owners, entrepreneurs, and individuals with complex financial portfolios often have abundant opportunities to misrepresent their financial situation. They simply adjust the numbers to make their financial situation look bleaker than it actually is. They often do this in hopes of getting a greater share of the marital estate during property division.

Mediation is a dispute resolution process that has become increasingly popular and effective as a method for resolving conflicts during divorce proceedings. If you are interested in divorce mediation, consider contacting a divorce attorney who has experience in mediation. Today, we will review what is most important to know about divorce mediation in Illinois.

The Many Benefits of Divorce Mediation

Mediation is a form of dispute resolution involving the strategic use of a third party to help reach an agreement. The mediator facilitates communication between the parties, helps them explore and understand their differences, and works to find a mutually acceptable solution for all parties. Mediation in divorce cases can have several advantages, including the following: 

• Cost – Mediation is much less expensive than going to court. Avoiding costly court appearances in divorce mediation can help keep costs down overall.

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