Elgin Family Law Attorneys

Lawyers Addressing Divorce, Child Support, and Related Legal Issues in Elgin, IL

Billing and Fee Structures

We work to ensure that our fees are reasonable and affordable for all of our clients. To discuss our fee structures and learn about payment options, contact us at 630-665-7300.

When you are involved in a family law case, you may encounter a number of complex legal issues, and you may also struggle to deal with the emotional fallout of the decisions that are made. If you are getting a divorce, you will need to make a number of changes to your life, and you may be concerned about your financial situation and your ability to provide for your children's needs. In other situations, you may need to determine how to resolve disputes related to child custody or paternity, or you may encounter complex concerns related to financial support. Having a skilled attorney on your side can help ensure that you will be able to address these issues correctly.

Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC provides comprehensive family law services for clients in Elgin. We can address your financial concerns, help you understand the best ways to handle child-related matters, and provide guidance on the legal options available to you. We will always work to protect your rights and interests throughout the legal process. By providing you with dedicated legal support, we can help you resolve the issues you are facing and work toward achieving your goals.

Financial Issues to Address in a Divorce

When taking steps to dissolve your marriage, you will need to pay careful attention to financial matters. The decisions you make can have an impact on your finances for years to come, so you will want to take the right steps to protect your interests. Our attorneys can help you understand the issues that you may need to address, including the division of property and potential spousal maintenance.

When allocating property between divorcing spouses, courts in Illinois follow the principle of "equitable distribution," which is meant to ensure that each spouse will receive a fair and equitable share of the property they own without requiring an equal division.

As you take steps to divide your property, you may need to address assets such as bank accounts, household items, vehicles, real estate, business interests, and retirement accounts or pensions. Our lawyers can provide guidance on how different types of property may be addressed. We can help identify property and determine whether different assets are jointly owned or are separate property owned by one spouse. We can work to negotiate a settlement that will meet your needs. If necessary, we can address hidden assets or asset dissipation to ensure that your financial interests will be protected.

Spousal support may be a factor in your divorce if there is a disparity between the income you earn and the amount that your spouse earns. When determining whether spousal support should be awarded, courts may look at each spouse's financial circumstances and earning potential, the contributions each party made to the marriage, sacrifices a spouse made as they focused on family responsibilities, or the ways one spouse helped the other spouse further their career. Our attorneys can help you address issues related to spousal maintenance, working to ensure that arrangements will be put in place that will meet your financial needs.

Family Law Representation in Kane County and Cook County

Child Custody and Parenting Issues

If you are a parent, you will likely need to address a variety of child-related issues during your divorce. Child custody may also need to be addressed if you are an unmarried parent. Our lawyers can advise you on the arrangements that may be put in place as you share custody with your former partner. We can help you negotiate agreements detailing how decision-making responsibilities will be handled. We can also work with you to create a parenting time schedule that will eliminate any confusion about where children will live and when they will stay with each parent.

One of the key components of a family law case involving children is a parenting plan. This legal agreement will detail the decisions made about the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time. It will also include other terms that are meant to ensure that you and your ex-partner will be able to work together to raise your children, including rules for communication, transportation arrangements, and dispute resolution methods. Our attorneys can work with you to create a parenting plan that reflects your family's unique situation.

Child support is another issue to address in a family law case involving children. The obligations that apply to both parents are meant to address children's ongoing needs and cover regular expenses. Our lawyers can advise you on the calculations that will be performed to determine an appropriate amount of child support based on the income you and your former partner earn. We can also help you make sure all relevant expenses are included in your child support order, including the costs of child care, medical expenses, and fees required for extracurricular activities.

Establishing Paternity

For unmarried parents, it may be necessary to take additional steps to ensure that a person is recognized as a child's legal parent. Once paternity is established, parents can take steps to address child support and child custody. Our attorneys can help you understand the steps you can take to establish paternity through voluntary acknowledgment or a court case.

Other Family Law Matters

• Adoption: If you are planning to adopt a child, our lawyers can help you follow the proper procedures and meet all applicable legal requirements. We can assist with international adoptions, agency adoptions, stepparent adoptions, and other types of adoption cases.
• Guardianship: A person other than a child's parent may step in to provide care when necessary. Legal guardianship can provide a person with the right to make decisions for the child and the responsibility to provide for the child's needs. Our attorneys can help you take steps to establish guardianship in situations where a child's parent is absent, incarcerated, or otherwise unable to fulfill their parental responsibilities.
• DCFS Investigations: Allegations of child neglect or abuse may trigger these investigations, and parents may be concerned that they could lose custody of their children. Our lawyers can provide guidance on what to do during these investigations, and we can advocate on your behalf to help you avoid problems that could affect your family.