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Divorce is never easy, and it can drain you emotionally and financially. But did you know when you file for divorce can also affect your taxes? If you’re thinking about divorce, consider filing early in the year to avoid headaches later.

Getting a divorce means asking a lot of questions, especially about big stuff like your house. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, since it depends on things like your credit, your mortgage, and what you want to do with the house.

Selling the House

A lot of couples sell their house during a divorce. This gives you both a fresh start and lets you split any equity – the money left after paying off the mortgage and selling costs (about 10% of the price).

Renting the House/Becoming a Landlord

Maybe you don’t want to sell, or you see the house as a future investment. In this case, one of you keeps the house and rents it to the other. Be aware that being a landlord comes with its own work, like handling repairs and making sure your mortgage company allows rentals.

Dealing with Equity and Refinancing

If you’ve paid off a good chunk of your mortgage, you have equity. Here’s how to handle it:

• Buyout: One of you buys the other person’s share of the equity.
• Refinance: One of you gets a new mortgage in your name alone to buy out the other person’s equity. This means you’ll need to qualify based on your income and credit.
• Assumption: Sometimes, one person takes over the whole mortgage and keeps the house. This usually requires the mortgage to be up-to-date and both of you to agree to it. Talk to your lender about this option.

It might sound a bit confusing, but don’t worry! I help people with situations like this all the time. Now that you understand the basics, you’re a step closer to making the right decisions for yourself.

No one ever wants to hear the phrase “I want a divorce.” But if you find yourself on the receiving end of those dreaded words, it’s important to know how to react—both in the short-term and in the long-term. Here are some ideas if your spouse unexpectedly tells you that they want a divorce.

There’s a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about parenting time and custody arrangements. It’s time to set the record straight.

Let’s get something out of the way right off the bat: adultery does not have a special place in divorce proceedings. Many people believe that if one spouse has committed adultery, that spouse will face some sort of punishment during the divorce, but that simply is not the case. In the eyes of the law, adultery is completely irrelevant to the divorce process.

So, if adultery doesn’t have any bearing on the divorce itself, why do so many people believe that it does? Well, that’s a complicated question with no easy answer. Here, we’ll attempt to explore some of the reasons why adultery is often seen as a factor in divorce cases—even though it really isn’t.

No one enters into a marriage expecting to get divorced, but unfortunately, it happens. If you find yourself in the situation where you need to get divorced, there are a lot of things to consider. Divorce can be an expensive process, but there are ways to save money. One way is by using a flat fee lawyer. Here’s what you need to know about flat fee lawyers and how they can help you save money on your divorce

In the State of Illinois there is one reason to get divorced: irreconcilable differences. The Courts do not consider reasons why the marriage broke down. Instead, the Court simply says, alright, its over, lets make it official.

A divorce trial is considerably different than how it is protrayed in the movies or in TV Shows. They expose all the ugly and feel downright unfair.

There are some fairly common signs that your marriage is coming to an end.

No one gets married intending to divorce. But, as the old saying goes, “Sh!t happens.” And when it does, it can get pretty pricey—especially if you’re not prepared for it. Here’s a short primer on how much a divorce can cost, both emotionally and financially.