Beware: Big Changes To The Illinois Spousal Maintenance Law In 2019
Big changes are coming to the Illinois spousal maintenance law (spousal support) specifically Section 504 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). This section deals with maintenance, which was formally referred to as “ spousal support ” or “alimony.” The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2019. This is big news for anyone currently involved in divorce proceedings and parties who are contemplating filing for dissolution in the near future. If maintenance is a factor in your divorce you will want to speak to an attorney regarding the below-mentioned changes, as there will be a difference between Judgments for Dissolution of Marriage entered before and after January 1, 2019. First, is Spousal Maintenance Appropriate? Before discussing the details of maintenance (duration and amount) the court must still make a finding that maintenance is appropriate given the specific facts of the case. This is nothing new. There is a threshold question that mus...