Finding a new romantic partner and planning a future together is an important step for many people after the stresses of a divorce, and it has the potential to enrich your life in many ways. However, a remarriage is usually not as simple as a first marriage, and there are important matters that you will need to consider before making the decision to move forward. Your remarriage will not only affect your life, but also the lives of your children and even your ex-spouse.

Important Considerations for a Remarriage

The choice to remarry after divorce is personal, and you and your new partner will certainly have your own considerations that factor into your decision. That said, the following three issues are likely to arise in many remarriages, so it is wise to keep them in mind.

Laws throughout the United States, including in Illinois, require both of a child’s legal parents to contribute to child support to provide for basic needs until the child reaches the age of 18. However, many children benefit from the financial support of their parents even after they reach adulthood, especially if they want to pursue a college education. In general, parents are not legally required to provide support under these circumstances, but Illinois law does include a provision through which both parents may be ordered to contribute to their children’s college expenses after a divorce or separation.

When Is a Child Eligible for Support for College Expenses?

Parents are, of course, free to make their own arrangements to contribute to their children’s higher education under any circumstances. However, after a divorce or separation, it may be best for a parent to pursue a legally binding order that ensures that both parents contribute. In these cases, an Illinois court will only consider issuing an order if the following criteria are met:

• The child must usually be under the age of 23, but support may continue until the age of 25 if there is a valid reason.

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As you contemplate whether to get a divorce, one of your biggest concerns may be your ability to support yourself financially without your spouse’s income, especially if you are a stay-at-home parent or you are out of work for other reasons. In these cases, you may be able to make the case for spousal support as part of your divorce resolution. It is important to understand when spousal support, otherwise known as maintenance or alimony, is awarded and how long it may last so that you can plan accordingly.

When Is Spousal Maintenance Awarded?

If you and your spouse have a legally valid prenuptial or postnuptial agreement that provides for the amount and duration of spousal maintenance in the event of a divorce, you can likely expect the court to honor that agreement. However, in any other case, decisions regarding spousal support are settled at the time of your divorce. You will either need to negotiate for maintenance with your spouse or demonstrate to the court that you have a need for it. Some reasons the court may consider include:

For many families, the winter holidays are a time for celebration. They can also be a time of heightened emotions, and those feelings are not always positive. Families who have recently gone through a divorce may still be coping with grief, sadness, even anger, and they may understandably find it hard to recapture the joy of past holiday seasons. However, this does not mean that this year’s holidays cannot be enjoyable in a different way. 

Approaching the Holidays as a Divorced Parent

As a parent, there are a few things you can do to help make the holidays less sad or stressful and more enjoyable after your divorce. Here are some suggestions to consider:

Many divorcing couples try to avoid the time, cost, and stress of a trial by pursuing an uncontested divorce, in which they come to an agreement on many important decisions. However, this can be easier said than done, and in many cases, it helps to seek the assistance of a qualified divorce mediator. Mediation can be especially beneficial when attempting to resolve the often complicated matter of dividing marital assets, property, and debts.

What Is the Role of an Illinois Divorce Mediator?

Unlike a divorce attorney, whose role is to represent the interests of one of the parties, a mediator remains neutral and seeks to guide negotiations between spouses to allow both perspectives to be heard, minimize conflict, and identify opportunities for agreement on the way to a finalized resolution. While there is usually some financial cost for divorce mediation, it is often lower than the expenses that the two parties may face if the divorce goes to trial.