Since divorces are “no-fault” in Illinois, a person can end their marriage for any reason they choose. There is no legal obligation for a spouse to justify this decision, as there had been in the past. However, couples may still need to recognize when certain issues or concerns may lead to divorce, including common major life events. When a couple is faced with major changes in their lives, it can be difficult to adapt to this new reality, causing stress on the relationship or exacerbating the problems that were already there, which could lead to divorce.

8 Major Life Events That Can Contribute to Divorce

Excluding any of the typical reasons for a divorce that have more to do with the relationship itself, such as infidelity, here are some common major life events that may lead to divorce:

1. End of Earlier Parenting Years—A common life change that people do not realize has a major effect on a marriage is that time period when the couple transitions from constant parenting (from babyhood through kindergarten) to less and less parenting (from elementary school through college). As the chaos of a child’s early developmental years subsides, and parental responsibilities become less time-consuming, spouses will have more time to address relationship issues that may have existed prior to the child’s birth, or they may reflect on their relationship in ways they were too busy to do before. If issues that exist in the relationship cannot be resolved, divorce may be necessary.

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A recent survey found that 39% of people state that debt and other financial issues were a major factor that contributed to their divorce. It is no wonder that bankruptcy and divorce are so closely linked—not only can divorce itself often cost more money than many people expect, but the financial ramifications of the divorce are felt long after the proceedings are complete. From the division of marital debt to simply adjusting to living on a single income, life after divorce can get expensive. But that does not mean you have to file for bankruptcy. Here are some tips for keeping your finances in order after your marriage has ended:

6 Ways to Prevent Bankruptcy Following Divorce

While there are some things you can do to avoid bankruptcy that are common to just about any person, divorced or not, there are also some special things that you can do to protect yourself against bankruptcy when you are divorced. Some examples include:

1. Increase Your Income—This is probably one of the very first tips a financial advisor will tell you if you are considering bankruptcy. Are there any ways for you to increase the money you make? The more money you have coming in, the less likely it will be that you will drown in debt. You may want to take on extra jobs (part time or otherwise), seek a promotion or a raise at work, rent out your house, sell your valuables, or borrow from family and friends if necessary.

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During the divorce process, there is a step that lawyers from both sides will take referred to as “discovery.” This is a critical stage in divorce proceedings. The lawyers and judge alike can learn countless insights during discovery, and these facts will help determine what is fairest and most equitable in the divorce judgment. Here is some advice on what you should do if faced with discovery:

4 Tips for Successful Divorce Discovery

Discovery during a divorce is a pretrial process in which both parties will fully disclose information to each other regarding their income and property. During discovery, the parties are permitted to request information from the other side to bolster and support their case with accurate evidence. These discovery requests may include:

• Requests for Production of Documents, such as financial statements and taxes

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After your marriage has ended, you will likely be ready to move on and begin again, and this may mean starting a new romantic relationship. However, you may not want to rush into introducing a new partner to your family after your divorce. Depending on your situation, your children might not have an easy time adjusting to this new person being in their lives. Before you make the decision to introduce your new partner to your family, consider the following:

Factors That Determine How Your Children Will React to a New Partner

Before you discuss your new relationship with your kids, you may want to think about the following so that you know what to expect:

1. The Ages of Your Children—Depending on a child’s age, he/she may react differently to a new partner. For instance, young children could connect with a new partner a lot easier than a teenager could, because the teenager might be fully aware of the difficulties that resulted in the divorce in the first place, leading them to harbor resentment and hold a preemptive grudge against the new partner. However, young children may also quickly become attached to the new partner, and if the relationship ends prematurely, they may be heartbroken.

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A divorce often results in a host of financial challenges. This is especially true when it comes to gray divorces. If you are getting a divorce while over the age of 50 or after retirement, you may experience significant difficulties due to the need to live on a fixed income with very little opportunity for income growth. However, there are some things you can do to live comfortably enough after your divorce, despite major changes to your finances.

What Should I Do if My Divorce Settlement Is Not Enough?

In many cases, a divorce settlement might not be enough to allow you to meet your living expenses after the divorce, or the resulting financial issues may not allow you to truly enjoy your retirement. In times like these, you might want to consider the following ways to increase your income:

1. Increase your Social Security benefit—What you may not realize after divorce is that your Social Security benefits do not have to only be based on your own earnings record. If your ex-spouse has a much higher earnings record than you do, then you can increase your monthly Social Security benefits. As a divorcee, you can receive up to half of your ex-spouse’s monthly Social Security benefit. This means that even if you were a lifelong stay-at-home parent without a qualifying earnings record for Social Security benefits, you could still receive benefits based on your ex-spouse’s benefit. Even if you did have an earnings record, if half of your ex-spouse’s benefit amount is higher than your own benefit, Social Security will make up the difference and increase your total Social Security benefit.

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