Oak Park Stay at Home Parent Divorce Lawyer

Family Attorneys for Divorces Involving Non-Working Spouses

If you are a parent who is planning to get a divorce, you may feel like you are being buried in an avalanche as you address a wide variety of legal issues, determine how to address your changing living situation, and make decisions about your children. These concerns can become even more overwhelming if you are a stay at home parent, and in order to ensure that you will have the financial resources that will meet your family's needs, it is essential to secure representation from a skilled divorce lawyer.

At Wakenight & Associates, P.C., our family law attorneys have over 95 combined years of experience, and we know how to protect the rights of parents who have chosen to stay at home to care for children. We can help you address and resolve the financial issues and prepare for success in your post-divorce life. 

Rights of Stay at Home Parents During Divorce

The choice to remain at home to take care of children's needs and other family responsibilities is a brave one that requires you to make sacrifices, and it should not put you at a disadvantage when ending your marriage. However, your lack of an income may cause you to worry about your ability to find a place to live and pay for ongoing bills and child-related expenses. If your ex-spouse handles most of the family's finances, you may not be aware of the extent of your assets or the actual amount of income earned, so it is important to take steps to gain a full understanding of your financial situation.

As a stay at home parent, you should be aware of your rights in the following divorce-related issues:

• Marital property - Your ex-spouse may believe they are entitled to the majority of the property your family owns since their income was used to purchase this property. However, all property acquired during your marriage should be fairly and equitably divided between you and your former partner, regardless of the income earned by each spouse. In addition, you should be aware of the possibility of hidden assets or dissipation of assets by your spouse.
• Child support - If your children will be living primarily with you after your divorce, your spouse will most likely be required to pay child support that will be used to cover the children's day-to-day needs, as well as other expenses, such as medical care or educational costs.
• Spousal support - You should be able to maintain your standard of living after your divorce, and you will likely be eligible to receive payments from your ex-spouse that will allow you to do so. However, you may eventually need to become self-supporting, so it is important to determine your options for obtaining the education and/or training that will ensure that you can earn an income that will meet your needs.

Contact Our Chicago Divorce Attorneys

When you choose to end your marriage, you will want to make sure you have financial security as you move on to the next phase of your life. Our attorneys will provide you with legal advocacy throughout the divorce process, helping you understand your rights and ensuring that you will be able to maintain a good home for your children and meet your family's financial needs. Contact us today by calling 708-480-9651 to arrange your free initial consultation. We serve clients in Oak Park, Skokie, Cicero, Maybrook, Riverside, Chicago, Forest Park, Elmwood Park, Berwyn, River Forest, and Cook County.