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Questions Answered by J. Richard Kulerski
2 Answers | Asked in Arbitration / Mediation Law, Divorce and Estate Planning for Illinois on
Q: My wife divorced me in secret I still have got no notice of any part of a divorce. Is this legal
J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on May 12, 2020

It is not "legal" if she knew where you resided, and you can prove she knew.

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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Divorce for Illinois on
Q: Do I have rights to the marital home if it was purchased before the wedding, it is in a trust, and I’m not on the title?

The house is currently being paid off with commingled funds and I have contributed financially to the improvement of the home. My husband has it in a premarital living trust. We do not have a prenup but all of his assets are in a premarital revocable trust. Do I get nothing if we split?

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on May 11, 2020

The marital estate should be reimbursed for the marital funds that were spent on the home improvements. Whether it should be reimbursed for the principal reduction of the house payments is something to be argued on a case by case basis.

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3 Answers | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce and Family Law for Illinois on
Q: What it means to divorce after 16 yrs. 27months old involve. Both parents are type1 diabetic. Mother is always homemaker

My husband emotionally abusuing me. I am well controlled diabetic but also has hypoglacemia history. Paramedics treated me few times. Will i loose my child custody? Though last hypoglecemia happened four yrs back in different country.

My husband is also well controlled type1 diabetic. Does... View More

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on May 4, 2020

You have not provided enough facts to allow for a definitive answer, but there isn't anything you have said that would indicate you would not receive at least 50% of the parenting time. Your depiction of your health condition does not hurt your chances of being the residential parent. The fact... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Divorce and Family Law for Illinois on
Q: Can my husband take the kids and move far away in state or out of state before I file for a divorce

I am unfit mother and want to get custody or visitation can I and how would I do it

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Apr 27, 2020

Your situation definitely requires a lawyer. Until a case is filed, either parent can go wherever they want with the children, but he or she might have to bring them back after a case is filed. This depends on many factors - one of the biggest of which is whether or not the move was out-of-state.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: I own land in Arkansas with the intent to reside there. Can I file for a divorce there now ?
J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Apr 18, 2020

I depends on Arkansas' residency requirements, and it also depends on whether you need the Arkansas court to have jurisdiction of your spouse. Consult with an attorney who can see what you facts are.

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Child Support for Illinois on
Q: When does financial responsibility end for a divorced parent of a child who's 18 and going to college?
J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Apr 11, 2020

Child support itself ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is last to occur. However, a new setoff rules kick in if the child is attending full time college. Google Section 513 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act and refer to the College Expense... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: Is it better if I file or he. Does it make a difference?

How fast can I file with the corona virus going on?

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Apr 6, 2020

You should be able to file immediately IF your county accepts electronic filing. There are two or three highly technical reasons that favor who files first. However, as a practical matter, the advantage that the public perceives does not exist.

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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: if My husband makes more than I, can I ask for alimony?

I supported him for 7 years he just got a great job and then walked out last week to live with a woman he met at the gym. I want to file for divorce, but he owes me over 200,000 and I am laying on all back taxes. Can I get some type of mandated payment until the taxes and loan is repaid?

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Apr 5, 2020

You cannot compel him to pay anything until you file a case for divorce or legal separation. This will make him subject to the court's jurisdiction. Without this, the court has no power over him.

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: I divorced September, 2018. It was mutually agreed upon and we used 1 lawyer. Now I am having financial difficulties.

My income is $870. Per month. His is $1690. Per month. Can I take him back to court and be awarded alimony?

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Apr 1, 2020

Typically, your Judgment for Dissolution will either bar alimony or reserve it. Depending on the facts of your case, and if alinony was reserved, you might have a chance of getting it. If you waived alimony or it was barred, you are out of luck because the Judgment is final.

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Small Claims for Illinois on
Q: Divorced 16 months, he hasn't taken my name off mortgage as ordered, he hasn't paid mortgage for 3 months.

My credit is starting to suffer, I feel I cant move on, how do I stop his perpetuation of this, do I have monetary recourse for credit issues? I just want off of the mortgage. Thank you.

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Mar 4, 2020

This is a very common problem. You have to take him back to court on a Rule to Show Cause as to why he shouldn't be held in contempt of court for failing to refi. However, the court is not likely to hold him in contempt if he can prove he earnestly tried to refi, but couldn't get a lender... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: What if the petitioner is in prison and the defendant is never served. RTRN N.S

What if the petitioner gave the correct address of the defendant, but the defendant is purposely avoiding answering the door, and alias summons was returned not served

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Feb 5, 2020

If you cannot serve the defendant, you are out of luck. That's why people dodge Summonses. You must hire a Special Process Server who has the skill to figure out how to get the job done. In counties with a population of over 1,000,000, you must get court permission to appoint such a Server.

2 Answers | Asked in Child Support and Divorce for Illinois on
Q: Child support question

I got divorced in September of 2019 there was no previous court order that required my ex to true up for his secondary employment. I was told by my attorney that he only has to true up from the date of the divorce until the end of the year. Nothing about retro pay is mentioned in our MSA. MSA only... View More

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Feb 5, 2020

The true-up has nothing to do with the date of filing. It's based upon what he earned in the previous year, which in your case is 2019. Your lawyer is not incorrect, but he/she is not necessarily correct. It depends on how you look at it, how your Judgment reads, and on whether your ex got a... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Family Law and Child Support for Illinois on
Q: I paid my ex tru-up. She disagreed w amount & ripped the check up. She gave me a pic after. Do I have to pay her again?

She stated she disagreed with the amount. She wasn’t aware the tru-up starts day of filing divorce agreement. Check was significantly less than she expected. She threatened to and then the ripped check up. She gave me a pic to prove it.

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Jan 25, 2020

Send her an email or a certified letter offering to go halves with her on an independent accountant or divorce lawyer to calculate the amount that the true-up requires. Otherwise, you don't have to do anything until she files a Petition to hold you in contempt of court. Then, you can show the... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: Will home be considered shared asset?

Married 27 years. Moved in home almost 20 years ago. Home is currently in father in laws name. Husband and I have been paying mortgage directly to father in laws bank account. Both of us have worked and contributed to mortgage and home upkeep and remodeling. Husband is working on refinancing home... View More

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Jan 22, 2020

At the best, you have an uphill battle if you hope to establish that the home is a marital asset. Talk in person to an experienced divorce lawyer who can learn more facts from you. It might turn out that you have a claim to reimbursement for the marital funds that were contributed to the home that... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: My wife wants to get a quick divorce /no kids/no assets/ but neither can't live elsewhere for 6 months

She wants to leave US with no plans of coming back with in six months, and we both have no friends to just move there, niether money to just rent another apartment.

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Jan 19, 2020

Your question seems to assume that there must be a six month separation before you can get divorced. This is not true. If both of you agree to the divorce, you do not have to be separated for even one minute.

3 Answers | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: I have a proveup in my MSA does my ex have to prove up for the whole year or only from the time the divorce was filed?

We just got divorced in September of 2019 there was no previous court order that required him to true up for his secondary employment. I was told by my attorney that he only has to true up from the date of the divorce until the end of the year. But I am unsure of this answer. Nothing about retro... View More

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Jan 11, 2020

I believe you are using incorrect phraseology. From the best I can determine, you should be saying "true up" instead of "prove up". Without knowing more facts from you, the true up would generally cover the entire year of 2019.

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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: While I was married my ex and I set up accounts for our grandkids so they would have money for college.

As soon as divorce was finalized, my ex went and closed out my one grandson's account and took it all. The child is 3 1/2 years old and we had a 50/50 split on all finances. My son, the father of this grandson, will not speak to his father so he did it out of spite. Can I do anything to try... View More

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Jan 4, 2020

Exactly what kind of account was set up for this child? Was the child's social security number used for the account? If it was a proper UGTMA account, then no one would have any rights to the account - EXCEPT the child. In this situation, you would have no claim to 50% of the funds, There... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support and Divorce for Illinois on
Q: Father is in Puerto Rico, Mother is in IL - divorced. Father pays child support until the children are what age?
J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Dec 31, 2019

18 or graduation from high school, whichever is last to occur - but not to exceed age 19.

2 Answers | Asked in Divorce, Family Law and Child Support for Illinois on
Q: we have my bf’s kids Mon-fri & every other weekend does mom have to pay childsupport doesn’t work but her husband does

Mom doesn’t work so she does not have money to pay child support but she’s married & her husband has a job. Does child support take in to consideration her husbands income for child support?

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Dec 30, 2019

No, her husband's income cannot be used to determine her child support obligation.

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3 Answers | Asked in Divorce for Illinois on
Q: How do I find out if I am still legally married in another state

The divorce was filed in 2015, my ex's attorney never contacted me about mediation or anything else like he said he would. I no longer live in Oklahoma and haven't for years. How can I get this ugly situation gone for good or is it already and I just didn't know?

J. Richard Kulerski
J. Richard Kulerski
answered on Dec 26, 2019

Contact the clerk of the court of the county in which the case was filed. Their records will tell you everything you want to know.

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