Posted on April 15, 2026 in Family Law

Couples who previously filed taxes together find themselves in new financial territory after their divorce. This can be a little overwhelming, especially if you weren’t the one handling the taxes in your relationship.

The following are some tax specifics to be aware of during and after your 2026 divorce. These will help you avoid any surprises from the IRS down the road. A DuPage County divorce lawyer can help you sort out the specifics of your situation if you have further questions.

How Does Your Filing Status Change During an Illinois Divorce?

Your marital status on December 31 of the tax year determines your filing status for that entire year. If your divorce has not been finalized and formally entered by the court by December 31, you are still considered legally married for tax purposes. This is true even if you filed your divorce petition much earlier in the year.

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 Posted on April 09, 2026 in Family Law

While nothing can completely get rid of the stress of a divorce, some planning can go a long way toward making it manageable. Streamlined divorces include financial, logistical, and emotional preparation. This will help keep you from missing deadlines, rushing big decisions, and generally getting too worn down.

If you're about to file for divorce in 2026, a Kane County divorce attorney can help you understand what steps to take now to make the whole process easier.

Decide What Your Priorities Are in Your Divorce

Perhaps the biggest single thing you can do to make your divorce more manageable is to decide early what your highest priorities truly are. Write them down if it will help you remember. Doing this will give you a touchstone to come back to when things get messy. You don’t want to go through your whole divorce being reactive to what your spouse says or does instead of being proactive about your own interests.

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 Posted on April 02, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

Many victims of workplace sexual harassment fail to report it because they fear retaliation from the harasser. If you were brave enough to report and are now being punished for it, you need to know that punishing an employee for reporting sexual harassment is illegal. Illinois has explicit laws against punishing workers for reporting sexual harassment. A DuPage County sexual harassment attorney can assess your case and help you understand what to do about a hostile work environment.

What Counts as Retaliation in the Workplace?

Retaliation can be as extreme as the employer firing the person who reported the harassment. It can also be much more subtle. Common forms of workplace retaliation include:

• Being demoted or passed over for a promotion you were in line for
• Having your hours cut or your pay reduced

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 Posted on March 31, 2026 in Family Law

When parties going through a divorce have children, the issue of child support will inevitably arise. How child support is calculated is different in each state. Illinois uses an "income shares" model, which takes into account the income of both parents. This makes the calculation of child support more equitable for both spouses than it was previously.

Anyone facing child support orders will want to understand how they factor into their finances in 2026. Our DuPage County child support lawyers can help you understand how the numbers are determined and what to expect after orders have been made.

How Does Illinois Calculate Child Support?

Illinois moved away from a simple percentage-based formula about ten years ago. The income shares model now used is outlined under 750 ILCS 5/505. The idea is that a child should receive the same level of financial support they would have received if both parents were still living together.

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 Posted on March 31, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

Holiday office parties are meant to be a chance for coworkers to relax and celebrate together. Many times, they are. However, a new, more casual setting and the presence of alcohol can sometimes lead to people being a little too loose in their behavior.

If a coworker is a little too familiar at an office party or any other work event, do the same rules about sexual harassment apply? If you’ve been the victim of crude remarks or inappropriate touching at one of these parties, do you have a legal claim? A Wheaton, IL sexual harassment lawyer can help you understand what the law does and doesn’t allow in 2026.

Do Holiday Parties Have a Higher Risk of Sexual Harassment?

The risk of sexual harassment at a holiday party isn’t necessarily higher than in regular workday life. What holiday parties present are different circumstances and opportunities. For example, most people don’t spend a lot of time during their workday sitting at a dining table close to coworkers. In a well-lit office or warehouse where there are many people, there may not be a good place to get away with blatant sexual harassment. And, of course, most people on their regular shift haven’t been drinking.

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 Posted on March 31, 2026 in Family Law

What pushes a marriage past the point of no return? And once you make the decision that divorce is the best choice, what do you need to successfully file?

People often assume they have to prove that their spouse did something wrong to get a divorce. In Illinois, you only need to establish that there were "irreconcilable differences" in your marriage. In other words, this simply means that your marriage couldn't be fixed or saved. If you’re considering divorce in 2026, a Kane County divorce attorney can help set your expectations for what the process will involve.

Why Does Illinois View Irreconcilable Differences as a Good Enough Reason to Get Divorced?

Just saying that your marriage couldn’t be fixed may not seem like a very solid reason to some people, especially those who feel their spouse suggested divorce out of nowhere. Doesn’t the law want to be sure that there’s a good reason for people to get divorced? Won’t people abuse the ability to just walk out of a marriage?

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 Posted on March 11, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

Asking someone from work out on a date may be okay, but it totally depends on the circumstances. But it’s wise to proceed with caution when considering a workplace romance in 2026, as there can be real legal risks. If you are being bothered at work by someone who keeps asking you out, our DuPage County sexual harassment attorney can help you understand your options.

Can Asking a Co-Worker Out Be Considered Sexual Harassment?

A single, respectful request that gets dropped if the person says "No" is not enough to rise to the level of sexual harassment under the law.  However, several things can change that.

Both Illinois law (Illinois Human Rights Act 775 ILCS 5/2-102(D) and federal law prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace. There are two legally recognized forms:

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 Posted on March 11, 2026 in Family Law

Many people who go through a divorce worry about paying for their lawyer. Attorney fees in a divorce case can add up quickly, especially when things get dragged out. If you are going through a divorce in 2026 and are unsure how you’ll be able to pay, or if you can pay at all, a Wheaton, IL divorce attorney can help you understand your options.

How Are Attorney Fees Structured in Illinois Divorce Cases?

A baseline understanding of how attorneys charge can be helpful in knowing what kinds of fees you will incur. Most divorce attorneys in Illinois use one of the following fee structures:

• Hourly billing: You pay for the time your attorney spends on your case. Rates vary based on the lawyer's experience and the complexity of your case.
• Retainer fees: This is a large up-front payment that the attorney draws from as they work on your case.
• Flat fees: Some attorneys offer a set price for straightforward, uncontested divorces. This is less common in complex cases.

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 Posted on March 11, 2026 in Family Law

Before changes to the law, certain tax breaks were given to people paying child and spousal support. This was allowed by something called "unallocated support." If you are getting divorced and expect to make support payments, you may wonder if unallocated support is still an option in 2026, and if so, how to take advantage of it. A St. Charles divorce attorney can help you with these questions.

What Is Unallocated Support?

Unallocated support is a single monthly payment that combines what would otherwise be two separate payments: maintenance (sometimes called spousal support or alimony) and child support. The agreement does not spell out exactly how much goes toward each – hence the name "unallocated."

In current Illinois law, maintenance and child support are governed by separate statutes. Maintenance is addressed under 750 ILCS 5/504, and child support under 750 ILCS 5/505.

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 Posted on February 28, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

 If you are being sexually harassed at work, one of the most important things you can do right now is start writing things down. A sexual harassment log is a personal record of every incident of harassment you experience. It is a powerful tool available to you if you decide to take legal action. In 2026, Illinois law gives workers strong protections against workplace sexual harassment but proving that harassment occurred often comes down to your documentation.

If you are dealing with sexual harassment at work, a Wheaton sexual harassment attorney can help you understand your rights and your next steps.

What Is a Sexual Harassment Log?

A sexual harassment log is a written record you keep that details every incident of sexual harassment you experience. You can keep it in a personal notebook or on a personal device. Do not use an employer-provided phone or computer to store this information.

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