If you have children and are getting divorced, you will need a Parenting Agreement before your divorce is finalized. You and your lawyer should make sure that the Parenting Agreement states:
- Which parent has residential custody of the child;
- Whether parents will share legal custody of the child and, if not, which parent gets sole legal custody;
- How much time the child will spend with each parent (in Illinois, parents usually prefer that the child spend one weekday evening and every other weekend with the non-residential parent);
- How child-related expenses will be shared by the parents;
- How parents will resolve conflicts; and
- Other provisions that the parents wish to add.
Also, the judge will want you to include the child-support payments in your Marital Settlement Agreement
