RSSDecember, 2011 - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog Archive
Solidarity Leads Heterosexual Couples to Choose Civil Unions over Marriage in Illinois
The first six months after the passing of the civil union law in Illinois resulted in the issuance of 1,856 civil union licenses in Cook County. Just over 3,700 civil union licenses were issued across the state for couples throughout 90 of the state’s 102 counties According to the Chicago Sun-Times, 138 of Cook County licenses were issued to heterosexual couples, which presents an important question: Why would heterosexual couples choose to enter into a civil union instead of a marriage?
A recent report from the Cook County Clerk reveals the answer, according to The Huffington Post. The report, which was released on December 20, found solidarity with same-sex couples as the number one reason why opposite-sex couples opted for a civil union instead of a traditional marriage. A survey conducted by the clerk’s office revealed that 87 heterosexual couples registered for civil unions in Cook County during the survey period of June 1 through September 19. Twenty-six percent of those who took the survey stated that their decision was based on “political or ideological reasons such as equality and inclusiveness.” Additional reasons included obtaining benefits and personal or religious convictions.
The 6 Most Common Money Mistakes That Can Lead to Divorce
A recent article in Money Talks News cites a study which claims that nearly 25 percent of all married couples in the U.S. hide financial affairs from each other. According to The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), financial stress is one of the leading reasons for divorce. A 2009 study also affirms that money issues are one of main predicators of divorce, following drug abuse and infidelity. In order to avoid supporting these statistics in your marriage, it is important to know what the most common financial mistakes are:
- Communicating Poorly, or Not at All. Money is one of the most important topics a married couple should discuss, especially early on in the relationship. Know everything now, no surprises later.
- No Budget. Keeping track of who spends what is necessary to ensure that overspending does not jeopardize your ability to pay your fixed monthly expenses. If there is no budget, then the possibility of falling into debt is that much greater.
Surviving the Holidays after Divorce: Getting Your Kids When You Want Them
During the holidays, both parents want to spend time with their child or children. But deciding who gets the children and for which holidays can be a highly contentious. It is very possible that the divorced couple stipulated how the holidays would be handled in their child custody arrangement, but oftentimes, this isn’t the case and a divorced couple has a very difficult time agreeing on the best way to “share” their kids during the holidays. The best way to come to an agreement is to be flexible.
Being flexible is an important part of making the holidays work for your family. Children look forward to the holidays because of how they are celebrated, not what day they fall on. The two usual arrangements are:
Surviving the Holidays after Divorce: When You Have Kids
In our previous blog post, we presented a few holiday survival tips for divorcees that face spending the holidays alone; however, there are many divorced couples who have a child or children that they would like to spend the holidays with.
As experienced child custody attorneys in Illinois, we believe the goal of both parents should be what is in the best interests of their child or children when it comes to the holidays. The winter holidays are a very exciting time for children and any new tradition or arrangement should be made with that in mind. There are various ways in which a divorced couple may arrange spending the holidays with their children while still giving them the holiday excitement they look forward to all year. Here are a couple of suggestions on how to achieve happy holidays for your children and yourselves:
Surviving the Holidays after Divorce: When You’re on Your Own
The winter holidays are a very difficult time for divorcees, especially if the divorce was very recent. With this in mind, the dedicated Illinois family law attorneys at Nottage and Ward would like to help divorcees stay positive and hopeful through the holidays with a three-part blog series that will provide holiday survival tips and ideas for new holiday traditions.
Whether a divorce was a blessing for a deeply troubled couple or not, being alone for the holidays is never easy. The holiday season is a reminder of happier times, even if they were dysfunctional, when you had someone to share those celebrations with. But this does not mean you cannot enjoy the holidays and it definitely does not mean you are not allowed to enjoy the holidays. Here are some holiday survival tips that may be able to help:
Illinois Civil Union Couples Can Now File Joint Tax Returns
After becoming the seventh U.S. state to pass laws that give same-sex couples many of the same rights and protections as heterosexual couples, Illinois has now confirmed that same-sex couples can file joint state income tax returns, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. The original civil union bill afforded same-sex couples the same rights as married couples; however, the Illinois Department of Revenue subsequently advised that it would not allow the filing of joint tax returns by couples who had entered into civil unions. The Department of Revenue has now reversed its position.
Starting in January, same-sex couples who have a valid Illinois civil union license will have the opportunity to file a joint state tax return. Although it is not expected to save same-sex couples much financially, the decision is considered an important and symbolic step in equality. Illinois is the tenth state to give legally recognized same-sex couples the right to file joint state tax returns.
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