Posted on May 24, 2022 in Main

Working Americans count on Social Security benefits to help them cover expenses after they retire. For many people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, Social Security is their main source of income.

If you are getting divorced, you may have questions and concerns about how the divorce will influence your ability to receive Social Security benefits upon retirement. Stay-at-home parents, homemakers, and those who were not the primary earner in their marriage often worry that divorce will impede their retirement. Breadwinning spouses may wonder if their soon-to-be ex-spouse will be able to take some of their Social Security benefits, leaving them with less to live on during retirement.

Understanding Social Security Benefits

Social Security was established in 1935 through the Social Security Act. The benefits provide retirement income based on an individual's work history. Most people who have worked in the private sector for ten years or longer are eligible for Social Security benefits once they turn 62 years old. The amount of money they can receive is based on their contributions to Social Security during their working lives. People can start collecting Social Security at age 62, but they do not receive the full amount unless they wait until full retirement age.

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 Posted on May 18, 2022 in Kane

Most people assume that once their divorce is finalized, they are done with the divorce process and can relax. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some former spouses refuse to comply with the terms of their divorce judgment. They stop paying child support, fail to provide the spousal maintenance required, or ignore asset division terms. If your ex-spouse is not complying with the terms of your divorce, do not wait to take action. Contact an experienced divorce lawyer for help right away.

Property Division in Divorce

The division of assets and debts is often a crucial aspect of a divorce case. Property division may be resolved through a negotiated settlement between the parties or the result of a Judgment entered after a trial. Regardless of how the divorce was resolved, the spouses are expected to follow through with the final divorce decree.

If your spouse has not complied with property decisions, you can file a Petition for Rule to Show Cause. The court may charge the non-compliant spouse with contempt if he or she refuses to comply

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 Posted on May 18, 2022 in Main

Illinois employees are protected from harassment and discrimination by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Illinois Human Rights Act, and other legislation. Unfortunately, sexual harassment continues to be an issue in Illinois and throughout the United States. Harassment can come in many forms. Some workers are exposed to crude jokes and offensive remarks. Others are touched inappropriately without their consent while simply trying to do their jobs. Employees may also deal with managers, supervisors, or employers who attempt to gain sexual favors by offering work-related benefits.

Research shows that workers in the manufacturing industry are exposed to sexual harassment at an especially high rate. Both women and men who work in manufacturing may be victims of sexual harassment. If you or a loved one were the victim of sexual harassment while working in the manufacturing industry, read on to learn about how to address the situation.

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 Posted on May 04, 2022 in Main

Grandparents and grandchildren share a very special bond. If you are a grandparent, you know just how precious the relationship between grandkids and their grandparents can be. However, unexpected life circumstances can threaten the grandparent-grandchild relationship. Family arguments, divorce, or other issues can lead to grandparents being cut out of their grandchildren's lives. This can be devastating for all the parties involved. As a grandparent, it is important to understand your rights in a situation like this.

Grandparents' Right to Spend Time with Grandchildren

The law only allows children to have two parents or guardians. Typically, only parents are granted visitation rights. However, there are situations in which grandparents may be awarded visitation with a grandchild. If a grandparent gets visitation rights, they are guaranteed visitation per court order.

Grandparents may be able to get court-ordered visitation with grandchildren if one or more of the following statements are true:

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 Posted on May 03, 2022 in Main

Sexual harassment has impacted the entertainment industry profoundly, and professional sports are no exception. Many different professional sports stars have been accused of sexual harassment or sexual assault throughout the past few years. In 2018, former Chicago Bears player Richard Dent was accused of sexual harassment by two women who allegedly interacted with him during business functions. Dent wanted to find out the identities of his accusers but was recently denied that opportunity by the Supreme Court.

Football Star Accused of Harassment and “Drunk and Disorderly Behavior”

Richard Dent first learned of the allegations against him when two attorneys for Constellation NewEnergy met with him and explained the situation in September of 2018. The attorneys explained that a woman claimed he harassed her on two different occasions. The first incident was during a golfing event in 2016. The second incident occurred in 2018 at another work-related event. Furthermore, Dent was allegedly seen acting “drunk and disorderly” at a hotel in downtown Chicago.

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 Posted on May 02, 2022 in Main

Collecting stamps, coins, fine wines, or other collectibles is not just a fun hobby, it can also be extremely lucrative. If you are a collector, you know just how valuable collections can be. Collections are treated the same as any other assets during a divorce. This means that both spouses may have a right to an equitable share of the collection's value. Valuing and dividing collections and other high-value assets during a divorce can be quite involved. For help, reach out to a divorce lawyer experienced in complex property division issues.

Who Has Ownership Rights of a Collection?

Many collectors spend years or even decades accumulating items. Often, the value of a collection is greater than the value of the objects individually. Not only do collections have monetary value, they also have significant sentimental value to the individual who worked hard to amass them.

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 Posted on April 22, 2022 in Main

If you do a quick Google search for “sexual harassment,” you may notice that the results often assume that the perpetrator of the harassment is a man and the victim is a woman. While it is true that sexual harassment victims are more likely to be women, men can also be sexually harassed. Sexual harassment can happen to anyone of any gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality, or profession. Likewise, sexual harassment perpetrators may be men or women of any demographic.

Unfortunately, the stereotype of a male authority figure harassing a female subordinate has limited our view of sexual harassment in the workplace. Sometimes, this can make it harder for atypical harassment and discrimination victims to come forward and report the harassment. This is especially true of same-sex sexual harassment victims.

Sexual Harassment When The Victim and Perpetrator Are the Same Genders

When a woman is sexually harassed by another woman or a man is sexually harassed by another man, the victim is often hesitant to make a report. They may second guess themselves or wonder if they are overreacting to the situation. Some same-sex harassment victims may also be LGBT individuals who are still “in the closet” or simply want to keep their sexuality private. They worry that reporting the harassment will “out” them to co-workers.

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 Posted on April 22, 2022 in Kane

The legal relationship between a father and his child is called "paternity." In Illinois, paternity can influence everything from child support to adoption. Whether you are a mother, father, grandparent, or another important individual in a child's life, it is important to understand how paternity affects family law issues in Illinois. Read on to learn answers to some of the most common legal questions about paternity.

How is Paternity Established?

Per Illinois law, paternity is assumed in certain cases. If a married woman gives birth, her husband is presumed to be the child's father. The father does not need to do anything else to establish paternity. However, the same is not true for unmarried parents. Unmarried parents may establish paternity through one of three legal avenues:

• Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP) – The VAP is a document that parents can sign at the hospital where the child is born to voluntarily establish paternity. The document is also available online and at the County Clerks's office.

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 Posted on April 19, 2022 in Main

Being sexually harassed is an incredibly demeaning, embarrassing experience to go through. Whether an individual was the victim of quid pro quo harassment or hostile work environment harassment, the situation likely caused them many sleepless nights. Although it is every worker's right to be free from discrimination and harassment at work, filing a sexual harassment complaint takes a great deal of courage. Unfortunately, some workers report harassment only to find themselves facing punishment or retaliation from an employer.

If you reported sexual harassment and your employer and/or the person you reported is retaliating against you, you should know that this behavior is unlawful. Retaliation violates state and federal law, and you do not have to tolerate it.

Examples of Retaliation After a Sexual Harassment Report

Imagine the following scenario: A woman has put up with her co-workers' rude, derogatory, and offensive remarks about her body for long enough. She decides to assert her rights and file a sexual harassment complaint with her employer's human resources department and end the harassment once and for all. She returns to work the next day only to learn that her work hours have been cut in half.

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 Posted on April 08, 2022 in Main

Digital currencies have become an increasingly important component of investors' portfolios. It is estimated that just under four percent of people own cryptocurrency, meaning there are more than 300 million people invested in digital currency across the globe. Cryptocurrency, NFTs, and other non-traditional assets are much harder to value and divide during divorce than other types of assets. Not only is cryptocurrency subject to volatile fluctuations in value over short periods of time, but these assets are also easy to hide from a partner during divorce.

Crypto May Be Used to Hide Assets

Digital currencies are not held in a bank, making them easy to conceal during divorce. Spouses who want to avoid sharing digital assets during their divorce may simply fail to disclose the assets on their financial disclosure form. Often, the best way to find hidden assets is to look for clues in financial documents like tax returns or loan applications. Forensic accounting and asset tracing may be needed to find cryptocurrency and other investments in a divorce.

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