Adopting a child is not something to take lightly. Whether you are a grandparent, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, aunt, uncle, or unrelated to the child you wish to adopt, once the adoption process is complete, you are responsible for making sound-of-mind decisions based on the best interest of the child.

However, if you have a criminal record, adopting a child may be more difficult, or in some circumstances, off the table.

What To Expect

According to the Illinois Adoption Act, the following is done during the adoption process:

Prenuptial agreements are not mandatory within an Illinois marriage, but any engaged couple that has personal or business assets may want to protect what is theirs before getting married.

A prenuptial agreement is a written agreement that both you and your future spouse construct before getting married. This agreement lays out how property and assets will be divided if divorce or death were to occur. Items that can be included within a prenuptial agreement include:

Grey divorce, also known as Silver Splitter or Diamond Divorcees, refers to the older “grey-haired” couples who decide to file for divorce after being in long-term marriages. According to the Pew Research Center, a study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau found that for every 1,000 married couples aged 50 and over, 10 of them ended in divorce. Grey divorce entails many issues a traditional divorce carries, such as the division of marital property and assets and spousal maintenance, but is unlikely to include the allocation of parental responsibilities or child support.

Reasons for Grey Divorce

1. Longer Life Expectancy and Better Health: Life expectancy has drastically risen within recent years, allocating for more time for older individuals to find happiness in a different partner that best fits their interests. 
2. You and Your Spouse Have Grown Apart: Sometimes, couples do not experience a major upset relating to financial matters, cheating, or abuse, but rather do not feel the same way about each other as they did when they first got married. After the children have grown up and left the nest, many couples are unsure where their marriage may go, which leads to divorce. 
3. Financial Reasons: Financial burdens such as debt can cause issues within a nearing-retirement or already retired couple. Being unsure how money is going to be managed now that one or both of you are not working can cause marital conflict. 
4. General Displeasure: Is your sex life bland or non-existent? Are you unhappy doing day-to-day activities with your spouse? Many couples blame being bored or unsatisfied for many years as a reason to file for divorce.
5. Retirement: Before retiring, you and your spouse are busy working and/or raising your children. Retirement gives you way more free time than you had before, and many couples find that they do not want to spend that time with their spouse. 
6. Addiction: Substance abuse and gambling are a few addictions grey divorcees experience that can result in the fallout of their marriage. Many divorcees report that their spouses put their addiction above their marriage, family, and financial security, which put them both at risk of losing everything.  

Contact a Will County Divorce Attorney Today

Going through a divorce is never easy, especially after you and your spouse agreed to stay together “until death do us part.” Do not let your divorce disturb your retirement and the rest of your life. Here at The Foray Firm, we will lead you through your grey divorce and weigh current and future outcomes relating to financial matters, property management, and asset division. Contact a Joliet, Illinois, divorce attorney at 312-702-1293 to schedule a consultation. 

Going through a divorce is tough, but going through a divorce during the holidays can add to the hurt.

If this is your first holiday season since separating from your spouse, it is natural to feel lonely and sad. It is important to not let these emotions control you and prevent you from enjoying the holidays. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you maintain your mental health and manage your stress throughout the holidays:

1. Take It One Day at a Time: It is only natural to want to rush through a time in your life that you would rather not be present for. Remain focused on the here and now, and take each holiday as it comes.
2. Do Not Skip Out on Spending Time with Family and Friends: As much as you want to spend time alone, your family and friends are your support system and people you should lean on during this hard time. If an invite is offered, take it.
3. Volunteer Your Time: The holidays are about giving, and volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter will take your focus off of your problems. Helping others who are less fortunate than you will make you realize how much you have to be grateful for.
4. Make New Traditions: Avoid dwelling on the traditions you lost or will lose because of the divorce, and make some new ones. There is no better time than the present to begin anew.
5. Take a Break from Social Media: Scrolling through social media and seeing other people’s “perfect lives” will only make you feel worse. Delete any social media app you may be tempted to use, and enjoy your mini social media cleanse. 
6. Do Not Numb the Pain: Indulging in drugs or alcohol may seem like a quick and easy way to forget what you are going through, even if it is for a short amount of time. When emotions are high, mixing pleasure and pain can lead to tears, angry outbursts or worse. If you plan to drink, set a limit and stick to it. 

According to the American Psychological Association, there is a difference between being sad during the holidays because of personal issues and a serious emotional or mental condition. If you believe your holiday blues are lasting longer than the holiday season, immediately contact a healthcare professional.

Divorce is a common challenge that people face in their lives. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 75,131 couples got married, while 26,132 got divorced in 2016. Tensions run high, and it is easy to find yourself doing or saying things that can cause additional issues. Listed below are the top ten things you should steer clear of doing during your divorce: