Posts By: MICHAEL C CRAVEN

Signs Your Spouse May Be Moving Assets Before Filing For Divorce

Michael C. Craven, our Chicago divorce attorney, discusses the common Signs Your Spouse May Be Moving Assets Before Filing For Divorce.

When a marriage is ending, you might see changes in how money is handled before anyone files for divorce. You could notice strange transfers, missing statements, unexplained withdrawals, or money moving between accounts you did not know about. A single odd transaction does not always mean your spouse is hiding assets, but a pattern is worth looking into.  Illinois divorce law requires the court to find, classify, value, and divide marital property, and moving money does not take it out of this ...   Read more ...  

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Questions To Ask Yourself Before Deciding To File For Divorce

Chalk message 'DIVORCE?' written in purple on a dark concrete sidewalk/ground, with a question mark at the end.

Deciding to file for divorce in Chicago is rarely just a legal issue. It often involves finances, children, housing, property, emotional stress, and the challenge of setting up two separate households. Before you file, think about what you want your life to look like both during and after the divorce. Filing can start deadlines, require financial disclosures, raise parenting questions, and bring court involvement that may affect important parts of your life.  Illinois law offers a framework for...   Read more ...  

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Will I Receive Spousal Support In My Divorce?

Our experienced Chicago divorce attorney answers the important legal question, Will I Receive Spousal Support In My Divorce?

A common question during a Chicago divorce is whether you will receive spousal support or alimony after your marriage ends. In Illinois, this support is called maintenance, and it is not automatically given just because one spouse earns more. The court first looks at both spouses’ financial situations and several legal factors to decide if maintenance is appropriate.  Only then does the court decide the amount and duration. If you left your job, worked less to care for children, supported you...   Read more ...  

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Gray Divorce: Why More Couples Over 50 Are Divorcing

Our Chicago divorce attorney explains Gray Divorce and discusses Why More Couples Over 50 Are Divorcing in state such as Illinois.

Divorce after age 50 has become increasingly common, even as divorce rates have declined among some younger age groups. Researchers often refer to divorce among adults 50 and older as “gray divorce,” and recent research indicates that nearly 40% of people getting divorced in the United States are now age 50 or older.  For couples in Chicago who have been married for decades, ending a marriage at this stage of life presents concerns that may be very different from those facing younger spouse...   Read more ...  

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Protecting Your Relationship With Your Child During Divorce

Our Chicago divorce lawyer Michael Craven explains the importance and strategies that help Protect Your Relationship With Your Child During Divorce.

Divorce changes your family, but it does not have to weaken your relationship with your child. Many parents worry about keeping that bond strong after a marriage ends. Illinois law puts the child’s best interests first when deciding on parenting time and responsibilities. How you talk to your child, work with the other parent, and follow court orders can affect both your family and your divorce case. We encourage you to look past the current conflict and make choices that protect your long-ter...   Read more ...  

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Why Personal Growth Sometimes Changes A Marriage

Our Chicago divorce attorney Michael C. Craven discusses the legal issue of Why Personal Growth Sometimes Changes A Marriage.

Personal growth can be a good thing, but it can also change a marriage in unexpected ways. In Chicago, we often meet people who never thought they would face conflict, distance, or resentment in their marriage, but later realize that one or both partners have changed. Maybe a spouse goes back to school, starts a new career, becomes more independent, sets new financial goals, focuses on sobriety, heals from trauma, or wants different things for parenting and family life. These changes do not alwa...   Read more ...  

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