Long ago, people could manage their lives privately, but that is harder to do nowadays. With social media networks becoming so commonly used throughout society, with users of all ages and walks of life, it is an almost unavoidable fact that whatever you do and wherever you go, there will be documentation of it accessible to countless people. If you are not a particularly private person and you live a fairly typical life, this should not be much cause for concern.

But if you need to control the information that other people can use against you, if, for example, you are about to enter into divorce proceedings with a spouse you do not trust to play fairly, you might need to alter your internet conduct. A Naperville, IL, divorce lawyer can explain what information might put your chances of a favorable divorce settlement at risk and what you can do about it.

Should I Be Concerned About My Social Media Footprint?

When you get a divorce, things might seem complicated. You suddenly need to reach agreements with someone you are ending a relationship with about very important matters like:

While most people are familiar with the concept of divorce, the vast majority are not aware of what is actually involved. It is natural to be unfamiliar with all the aspects of a divorce if you have never actually been through one yourself. You may have concluded that divorce makes the most sense for you, but probably have many questions about the next steps. One thing is certain: preparing yourself for the process is a great way to understand your rights and how to advocate for them. If you are considering divorce and want to make sure you are doing proper planning to be prepared for what will come, a Naperville, IL, divorce lawyer can walk you through the process and describe what you can expect to deal with.

I’ve Decided to Get a Divorce. Now What?

If you are sure that divorce is the right move for you, your best bet is to seek a lawyer with a proven history of advocating for their client’s rights and ensuring a divorce settlement that they can feel comfortable with. You will want to find a law firm that has a lot of divorce-related experience. Depending on whether you and your spouse share children, expensive property, high assets, or include otherwise special circumstances, you should look for a law firm that has already won similar cases for their clients in the past.

When you feel confident that you have found a lawyer experienced in dealing with your specific kind of case, you will also want to make sure that they can give you a realistic sense of what you might expect, and that you can communicate comfortably with each other. As soon as you have found representation you are happy with, they will begin preparing you for your divorce by guiding you to do several things, including:

Annual holidays are a time for family togetherness and a chance to make meaningful memories with loved ones. If the parents of a family have been through a divorce, this can change the holiday dynamic drastically. 

In some families, one parent is religious and offers a religiously-based holiday experience while the other parent is not religious and offers a secular holiday experience, which could make exes feel offended by the way their children are experiencing the holiday. In some families, one parent might have limited means and offer a modest celebration at home, and their ex could have exotic travel plans. In some cases, one of the parents might have a new significant other that they want to introduce to their children over a holiday, but the other parent might feel it is inappropriate to bring other people into their children’s holiday celebrations.

However the members of a family choose to celebrate a holiday, it can be an extremely anxious time for divorced parents who are trying to navigate this. If you are a divorced parent and you feel uncomfortable with how your ex is planning on spending a holiday with your children, a Naperville, IL divorce lawyer can help dispel confusion and guide you through this challenging time.

Divorce can be an arduous process. There are so many things that can potentially be the cause for an acrimonious fight with your spouse, from custody settlements to alimony payments to living arrangements. Once all of these and more issues that a divorcing couple needs to figure out have been discussed and agreed upon, the two spouses have a divorce decree, which describes what is expected of both sides emotionally, physically, and financially. But if a spouse refuses to follow this divorce decree, it can make everything problematic. If you are divorced and your ex is not complying with your divorce decree, a DuPage County, IL divorce attorney will be able to guide you through the options at your disposal and may be able to help enforce the decree through court proceedings.

Failure to Carry Out Divorce Decree

Unfortunately, while divorce ends with a clear settlement where both parties receive the details of what is expected of them, ex-spouses do not always carry out their end of the agreement. Your ex may have stopped their child support payments, or have decided that alimony is no longer relevant. If this has happened, there are legal steps to take to enforce your ex’s compliance with the information.

An experienced divorce lawyer will be familiar with the legal options available to us. There are also legal options available that can be used to compel parents to follow their child custody or parental responsibility orders.

Hiding assets in a divorce is a serious offense that can have negative consequences, both financial and legal. If you are caught hiding assets, you could face financial penalties, lose credibility in court, and even face criminal charges.

It should not typically be a struggle to disclose all of your assets. However, in the case you may be having difficulties, you should talk to your attorney. They can help you to identify and disclose all of your assets, and they can help you to develop a plan for dividing your assets fairly with your spouse. The more information you can provide to your attorney, the better equipped they will be to help you through your divorce.

What Are Some of the Financial Penalties I Could Face?

One of the most immediate consequences of hiding assets in a divorce is that you could be ordered to pay financial penalties. These penalties can be significant, and they can include: