blog home Divorce 2025 Illinois Divorce Law Updates: What Professionals Should Know

2025 Illinois Divorce Law Updates: What Professionals Should Know

By Nottage and Ward on August 23, 2025

Divorce can be especially difficult for professionals with substantial assets, complex financial portfolios, and parenting responsibilities.

In 2025, Illinois enacted several legislative updates that directly impact how divorce proceedings are handled. These changes affect critical issues like property division, maintenance (formerly known as alimony), and the allocation of parental rights.

The attorneys at Nottage and Ward, LLP, stay at the forefront of Illinois family law to ensure our clients benefit from every advantage the law affords.

Whether you’re a business owner, executive, entrepreneur, medical professional, or legal practitioner, understanding these updates is essential to protecting your rights and securing favorable outcomes during divorce.

What Changed in 2025?

The Illinois General Assembly passed a series of amendments to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), effective January 1, 2025. These updates were designed to reflect modern family dynamics, streamline court procedures, and ensure fairer financial outcomes.

The major areas of reform include:

• Maintenance calculation updates
• Refinements to equitable property division
• Parenting time
• Procedural shifts in enforcing parental rights

Let’s break down what these changes mean in practical terms.

Maintenance Calculation Update

Spousal maintenance (formerly known as alimony) remains one of the most contentious and financially significant issues in Illinois divorce cases. The 2025 maintenance calculation update introduces new caps and adjustments to reflect evolving economic conditions.

Adjusted Income Cap

The income threshold used to apply the statutory formula has increased from $500,000 to $600,000. This reflects inflation and recognizes that many professionals now earn in excess of the former limit.

Revised Formula Guidelines

For incomes under the cap, the basic formula—33.3% of the payor’s net income minus 25% of the payee’s—still applies. However, with a new cap, the recipient cannot receive more than 37.5% of the combined net income (up from 33.3%).

Duration Revisions for Long-Term Marriages

Marriages over 20 years used to permit permanent maintenance. Now, the statute explicitly authorizes judicial discretion to award either permanent or term-limited maintenance, even in long marriages, based on specific criteria (age, health, earning capacity, etc.).

What This Means for Professionals

If you’re a high-income earner, these updates may increase your exposure under statutory maintenance guidelines. However, the new law also gives courts greater flexibility to tailor maintenance based on your unique financial circumstances.

Our team at Nottage and Ward, LLP, works closely with financial experts to build comprehensive financial affidavits and propose sustainable support structures.

Changes in Property Division

Illinois remains an equitable distribution state, meaning that marital property is not necessarily divided 50/50 but rather in a manner deemed “fair and just.” Further, the 2025 Illinois divorce law updates introduce new mechanisms aimed at improving transparency and fairness in property division.

Mandatory Financial Disclosure Forms

All parties must now submit standardized financial disclosure forms within 30 days of filing. These include specific valuation methods for business interests, retirement accounts, and intellectual property.

Professional Valuation Requirements

For complex assets like privately held businesses or real estate portfolios, each party must submit valuation reports by credentialed professionals (CPAs, forensic accountants, or appraisers), with full disclosure of methodology.

Goodwill Segmentation in Business Valuations

Courts are now required to differentiate between enterprise goodwill (divisible) and personal goodwill (non-divisible) in professional practices, which is a major change that affects attorneys, doctors, and consultants.

Implications for High-Earning Spouses

These changes provide greater protection for professionals who operate service-based businesses. For example, if you built your reputation as a solo practitioner or physician, the non-transferable value associated with your name may no longer be subject to division. Conversely, if you’re entitled to part of your spouse’s firm, you’ll have a clearer avenue for equitable valuation.

Updated Framework for Co-Parenting

Illinois no longer uses the terms “custody” or “visitation.” Instead, it refers to the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time. The 2025 parenting time reform in Illinois includes changes that are intended to support child-centered, flexible co-parenting arrangements.

Minimum Parenting Time Presumption

For the first time, the law introduces a presumption that both parents are entitled to no less than 35% parenting time, barring evidence to the contrary. This marks a shift toward more equalized parenting frameworks.

Revised Best Interest Factors

The updated law clarifies that a child’s academic and emotional needs take precedence when evaluating parenting time, particularly relevant in cases involving high-conflict parents or relocation disputes.

Faster Temporary Orders

Temporary parenting time orders must now be decided within 60 days of the request, promoting stability for children during the early stages of litigation.

Allocation of Parental Rights Changes: Enforcement and Relocation

Alongside parenting time updates, changes to the allocation of parental rights have strengthened both enforcement mechanisms and clarified relocation rights:

• Streamlined Enforcement: Courts can now impose financial penalties for repeated violations of parenting time orders, including mandatory counseling or parenting coordination.
• Relocation Radius Modified: The allowable relocation radius without court approval has increased from 25 miles to 50 miles in certain counties, including Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, and Will.
• Cross-State Relocations: Relocating out of state still requires court permission, but courts must now provide a ruling within 90 days of the filing to prevent prolonged litigation.

These changes are especially relevant to professionals who may need to relocate for career advancement or to pursue specialized positions out of state.

At Nottage and Ward, LLP, we assist in preparing strategic relocation petitions that demonstrate alignment with your child’s best interests and legal thresholds.

How These Changes Affect Professionals in Divorce

The 2025 updates signal a move toward greater structure, transparency, and flexibility—a combination that can work in your favor if you are properly prepared.

For High-Earners

• You may face greater financial obligations, but also greater clarity and room for negotiation.
• Proper valuation of business assets can limit overreaching property division claims.
• Custom-tailored maintenance terms are more achievable with expert support.

For Professionals with Parenting Obligations

• Your right to meaningful parenting time is better protected.
• Relocation opportunities for your career are more feasible under the updated rules.
• Enforcement tools can protect your parenting rights if your former spouse is non-compliant.

How Nottage and Ward, LLP, Can Help

With over 35 years of experience in high-stakes family law, Nottage and Ward, LLP, has built a reputation for intelligent, strategic representation that aligns with the complex needs of professionals, business owners, and executives.

We understand that your career, reputation, and long-term financial future are on the line. That’s why we offer:

• Collaborative divorce planning tailored to your profession
• Business valuation coordination with trusted experts
• Asset protection strategies
• Advanced parenting time agreements that reflect your career demands
• Focused litigation when necessary

Our attorneys also regularly monitor legislative changes to give our clients a proactive edge. As a result, we’ve successfully guided countless clients through Chicago’s evolving legal landscape—and we’re ready to help you navigate the 2025 reforms.

Speak With Our Experienced Chicago Divorce Lawyers Today

At Nottage and Ward, LLP, we deliver thoughtful, experienced representation that reflects your goals, your assets, and your family priorities. If you have any questions about the new laws and how they could affect your situation, feel free to give our Chicago divorce attorneys a call at (312) 332-2915. We’ll help you protect what matters most—your family, your future, and your peace of mind.