Libertyville Divorce Blog

How having more money could increase divorce risk

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.

Illinois couples who are wealthy might be more likely to get a divorce than those who have less money. Furthermore, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reports that divorce rates increase during times of economic surges and decrease during economic declines. Faced with the financial costs of divorce, some couples decide to stick it out.

Money is often a source of conflict between couples as well. In a survey conducted by SunTrust Bank, 35 percent of people said finances were a major issue in their relationship. The Federal Reserve Board has reported that couples with disparate credit scores are more vulnerable to divorce than those who have similar scores. People with higher credit scores are likelier to stay in a relationship.

Keep the details of divorce off social media

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar on Tuesday, October 9, 2018.

Social media has played an active role in destroying people's marriages over the last few years. Many attorneys have noticed a trend of people using Facebook to engage in extramarital relationships. Social media can continue to do harm during the divorce process if spouses do not know how to use it responsibly.

Overusing social media is not good for your emotional health, and divorce is already a difficult time. You do not want to make it more difficult by using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in unhealthy ways.

New tax laws could make cost of divorce increase

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Monday, October 8, 2018.

People in Illinois who are getting a divorce and who anticipate giving or receiving alimony payments might want to try to complete their divorce before the end of 2018. Starting in 2019, alimony will no longer be tax-payable or tax-deductible, and experts say it is likely this will not benefit either the payer or the recipient.

This change was part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was passed at the end of 2017. Unlike other parts of the act, it is not supposed to sunset after 2025 although it is not clear what Congress may decide regarding alimony. Couples may want to include a provision in their divorce agreement that allows for flexibility regarding alimony in case the law is changed again.

Study looks at relationship between job and divorce

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.

Librarians and farmers might be less likely to divorce than people who are in other professions. This was one of the findings of researchers at Stockholm University who examined Danish data for the relationship between work and divorce. The professions that had the highest divorce rate were in the hotel and restaurant industry.

The study, which looked at people in opposite-sex marriages, also found that people who worked in professions that were dominated by people of the opposite sex were more likely to get a divorce. However, the divorce rate was lower for women in male-dominated professions than for men in female-dominated professions. Researchers controlled for risk factors such as whether the couple had children and how long the marriage had lasted but said further research was needed to determine why the rate for men was higher. For example, men working in female-dominated professions might make less money, and this could add a strain that contributed to divorce.

Health and stress effects of divorce after 50

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Monday, September 24, 2018.

The Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory is a metric designed to predict which events in life are the most stressful and the most likely to result in a health breakdown. The number two stressor on the inventory is legal uncoupling or divorce. For people in Illinois who are divorcing after age 50, it may be even harder on the health.

Since 1990, divorce rates have doubled for people at least 50 years old. According to a geriatric psychiatrist and clinical psychiatry professor, divorce can have a number of different physical and psychological consequences, especially if the person going through divorce has medical problems already. The spike in the number of older age divorces has been referred to as gray divorce.

The downside of gray divorce

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Monday, September 17, 2018.

An increasing number of older couples in Illinois and across the U.S. are choosing to end their marriages. In fact, while the divorce rates for all other age groups has declined, the divorce rate for people age 50 and up has doubled over the last three decades. Meanwhile, the divorce rate for people age 65 and up has tripled over the same period.

Some divorce experts are alarmed by this trend, known as "gray divorce," and want to see it reversed. They point out that divorce can harm not only the couple who splits up, but it can also harm others around them. For example, studies show that children of divorce are more likely to have their own marriages end in divorce. Even people who are adults when their parents split tend to be shaken by the event and question the state of their own romantic relationships. In addition, divorce can spread like a virus. A recent study found that people are more likely to divorce if they know a friend or an acquaintance who has ended their marriage.

Helping kids thrive at school after a divorce

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Monday, September 10, 2018.

A new school year can be both exciting and a source of anxiety for children in Illinois and throughout America. However, children and parents alike may face challenges in trying to prepare for a school year after a divorce. By taking some time to prepare, parents can help their children set goals for the year and clarify some rules and expectations.

Ideally, both parents will take part in establishing goals and expectations for the new year. This can help the adults learn how to work together while helping the child to clearly understand what they are supposed to do. Ideally, children will create goals related to what happens in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom. Parents and children should also discuss the financial implications of accomplishing one or more of these goals.

Study of wedding date selection reveals divorce likelihood

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Friday, September 7, 2018.

Couples in Illinois have many issues to consider when choosing the day for their weddings. A study from the University of Melbourne of about 1 million marriages provides a cautionary tale about special wedding dates like Valentine's Day or interesting date number combinations like Sept. 9, 1999. The researchers found that choosing a specific date for its romantic quality or numerical interest might predict divorce.

Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, proved to be the worst day to schedule a wedding. Couples married on the day known for romance had a 11 percent divorce rate by the five-year mark. At nine years, legal separations among people with a Valentine's Day anniversary reached 21 percent.

Yes, it is possible to divorce without war

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar on Thursday, August 30, 2018.

Many couples in the Libertyville area may feel like the words “divorce” and "health/amicable” are paradoxes or nonexistent. Though you may have heard a few stories about healthy separations, they are not as elusive as they might seem. Whether you are getting ready to separate, contemplating it or just curious, the efforts you put toward keeping things amicable during divorce between you and your partner can spare more than just your sanity in the long run.

Many misconceptions can arise that keep you and your partner on different pages and your relationship out of balance. Also, if you and your partner cannot agree on things, you may feel like an amicable divorce is not within reach. Take some time to learn a few strategies to keep your divorce from becoming a war.

How divorce can affect a circle of friends

On behalf of The Law Office of Cynthia L. Lazar posted in Divorce on Monday, August 27, 2018.

When Illinois couples divorce, they generally consider it a matter that primarily affects themselves and perhaps their immediate family, particularly any children of the marriage. However, the social effects of divorce could resonate far outside the boundaries of the family. In fact, divorce can be "contagious" in a friend group or social circle. While some may think such beliefs are only based on anecdotal evidence, research conducted by social scientists at Brown University, Harvard University and the University of California at San Diego backs up this phenomenon.

According to one study, people with friends who recently divorced are 75 percent more likely to seek a divorce themselves. However, the effect goes further in a social circle. People with friends of friends who divorce are 33 percent more likely to end their marriages. There are a number of factors that could contribute to this type of trend. Many people remain in an unhappy marriage due to a sense of inertia. When a friend takes action to change his or her situation, it can inspire others to make a move.