Sullivan Taylor & Gumina February 2018

JOSEPH F. EMMERTH A LOOK AT FAMILY LAW OF SULLIVAN TAYLOR & GUMINA, P.C.

FEB 2018

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STAY STEADY THIS FEBRUARY

Let’s face it, February can be a lousy month. The weather is as bad as it gets since we’re still catching the tail end of winter. It still gets dark early, and the sun still comes up late. In December, the holiday season brightens things up; but in February, the only thing to look forward to is Valentine’s Day. And if you’re going through a divorce, that holiday will do nothing to lift your spirits. I’ve noticed in past years that a lot of people start filing for divorce in April and May, making late spring one of the busiest times in my profession. I suspect that if you’re thinking about

get through it. Just as we know during winter that a gorgeous spring is around the corner, there’s also a better season headed your way after you’ve weathered the storms of divorce. February is a good month to lock down the stray details in your life, many of which will come into play during your divorce or after. These details will differ from person to person. One example is checking up on your kids in college and making sure they’re doing everything they’re supposed to be doing. You should be able to get a copy of last semester’s grades. If you’re separated from the other parent, you can make sure your child isn’t playing one parent off the other. This can be easy to do if the child doesn’t

getting divorced, the February holiday is not going to dissuade you. It may be the final nail in the coffin.

live with either parent, and it’s a common behavior in these situations, unfortunately.

JUST AS WE KNOW DURING WINTER THAT A GORGEOUS SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER, THERE’S ALSO A BETTER SEASON HEADED YOUR WAY AFTER YOU’VE WEATHERED THE STORMS OF DIVORCE.

So, what can we do? There’s really only one thing to do: Knuckle down and

Speaking of adult (or semi-adult) children, if you are required to keep your child on your health insurance, be sure to get them the new insurance card for the new year. What other obligations do you have, as ordered by the court? Dot your i’s and cross your t’s this month, and set yourself up for success down the road. If you haven’t filed for divorce yet but want to in the near future, it’s a good idea to get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible. As I mentioned, spring is a busy time in my profession.

That means we should start discussing strategy and formulating a plan for your divorce immediately.

Stay steady this February. I promise, spring is just around the corner.

-Joseph Emmerth

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What Your Child Can Learn From Baking EDUCATION IN THE KITCHEN

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you’re probably wracking your brain for the perfect recipe to bake for your loved one. There’s nothing wrong with store- bought chocolate, but there’s no topping the personal touch of some homemade baked goods. If you have kids, baking alongside them can be just as rewarding as enjoying the fruits of your labor. As an added bonus, baking is a hands-on opportunity where your child can learn all sorts of important concepts. Here is a short list of some of the educational lessons hiding in your kitchen.

practice. With older kids, practice unit conversions by asking, for example, how many pints are in half a gallon.

“If you want a lawyer who cares enough to tell it to you straight (in regard to what the law really says, likely outcomes, and the best approach to resolve), someone who focuses on bringing closure to your current legal situation, and someone who makes the process as painless as it possibly can be, hire Joe! “When you need a family attorney, it can be frustrating. And the law (or how a particular judge tends to rule) can be even more frustrating. Your best defense is to hire an attorney who brings strategy and experience. You need someone who has your back, and Joe is that guy!” THE BEST REPRESENTATION I COULD HAVE HOPED FOR “I was in the middle of a horrible divorce and had just fired my first lawyer when I met with Joe. He brought a sense of calm to the chaos that was going on and sat down with me to develop a strategy and plan to achieve my goals. The rest of my divorce went much more smoothly and ended very well for me. I would recommend Joe to anyone. He didn’t just handle my divorce, he prepared me for life after my divorce.” –Satisfied Client FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS Not unlike computer science, baking requires a strict order of operations. The wet and dry ingredients often need to be mixed separately and then folded together. It only takes one deviation from the instructions for a pastry to go from delicious to disgusting. Spending time in the kitchen, then, is a great way for kids to learn the importance of reading directions carefully and comprehending what they’ve just read. CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING Cuisine is a fundamental part of every culture. Introducing your child to dishes from around the world will expand their horizons. Want your child to be a less picky eater? Involving them in the cooking process is the surest way to get them excited about trying new flavors and ingredients. NUTRITION Now, you might not think that baking cookies will encourage greater nutritional awareness, but hear us out. Sugar is often buried within packaged foods. When you bake something at home, a child gets to see, firsthand, just how much sugar goes into certain sweets. Meanwhile, cooking savory dishes also allows them to learn what constitutes a balanced, healthy diet.

MATH Baking is a numbers game. Just take a look at any recipe, and you’ll recognize the importance of math in building a beautiful cake. Having children measure out ingredients helps them learn about fractions and ratios. You can also test your kids by doubling or halving a recipe for multiplication and division

TESTIMONIALS

A LIFESAVER “When my husband moved out of the house, he left me and my children with no money and no car. Joseph was able to get my husband to pay child support, alimony, and contribute to the home bills very quickly. My divorce was finished in six months. Now, my children and I can move on with our lives with some financial security thanks to Joseph.” HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! “While I’d much rather avoid legal issues (like anyone), Joe Emmerth brings calm and competence to the entire process. I hired him to quash an emergency subpoena, which he shut down quickly and successfully. He also recovered my legal expenses and lost wages from time off work. “My fiancé and I were pleased with his work and later hired Joe to write our prenuptial agreement, which was a much more complicated legal process than we had originally thought. But Joe thoroughly and professionally handled it on our behalf. By far, he’s been the most responsive attorney we’ve ever worked with — period! –Annette

–Satisfied Client

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PLAN AHEAD FOR GRADUATION!

Ah, spring is in the air, summer is around the corner, and the kids are in their gowns and throwing their caps — or am I getting ahead of myself? The truth is I start thinking about high school graduations a few months ahead of time in my line of work, and if you have a senior this spring, you should as well. The nature of divorce means that many decisions normally made in the family are required to go through the court system to some degree or another, and that system takes its time to get things done.

One of those decisions, of course, is the child support arrangement. It’s likely that you already have a system set up, but once the child is 18 and has graduated high school, that support should end. It will take a few months to get through the system, so you should start planning now. If you wait until graduation to file for that change, you might pay child support for a month or two when you otherwise wouldn’t have to do so. If you wait and end up overpaying, it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to get that money back. One more tip: Graduation is one event you and your ex are both expected to attend. This may not involve the law, but it’s a potential complication to start thinking about now, especially if you’re not on good terms. Who will go to celebratory dinners? Who will get pictures, and how will that be set up? If there’s only a set amount of reserved seating, how many family members on each side can come and do they all have to sit together? Avoid awkwardness and do a little pre-planning for the big day. So even though we aren’t sitting down for speeches and processions just yet, I can almost hear “Pomp and Circumstance” coming from the bandstand. And soon, you will as well. Make sure you’re ready for all the changes it will bring!

HAVE A LAUGH!

Recipe inspired by ThisGrandmaIsFun.com

BACON-WRAPPED TATER TOT BOMBS

Sure, your showoff pal can wrap a tater tot with a piece of bacon and call it “The Daniel,” but you can take it a step further. Prepare a couple batches of these savory snacks for your Super Bowl party or the next family get- together. Snag a few for yourself before they disappear! • 2 cups frozen tater tots, defrosted • 1 ounce sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch squares • 4 slices bacon, quartered • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Press a cheese square into each tot, then wrap with a piece of bacon. Dredge each tot in brown sugar.

3. Place tots seam side down on baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn halfway through. 4. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

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JOSEPH F. EMMERTH OF SULLIVAN TAYLOR & GUMINA, P.C.

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

630-665-7676 | www.stglawfirm.com Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5pm INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1250 E. Diehl Rd., Suite 400 Naperville, IL 60563

Stay Steady This February PAGE 1

Cook Your Way to Better Grades PAGE 2

Testimonials PAGE 2

Divorce Tips for Graduation Time PAGE 3 Not Sure What to Bring to the Super Bowl Party? PAGE 3 Have You Heard of Ruby Chocolate? PAGE 4

SAMPLE THESE CHOCOLATE FACTS

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The ancient Mayans are credited as the first people to grow and consume chocolate. However, the word “chocolate” comes from the later Aztec civilization. The Aztecs loved a bitter, spicy beverage made from cacao beans called “xocoatl.” And since we’re on the topic of words, the scientific name for the tree that grows cacao beans, Theobroma cacao, is a Greek word, which translates to “food of the gods.” This just proves cocoa connoisseurs were right all along — chocolate really is divine. A SWEET DEAL Speaking of the Aztecs, their civilization loved chocolate so much that cacao seeds were used as a form of currency in Mesoamerica. During the American Revolution, chocolate was still accepted as payment, sometimes used in soldiers’ rations in lieu of wages. Even today, chocolate remains a valuable commodity. The chocolate industry is worth around $110 billion a year. Humans have enjoyed the sweet pleasures of chocolate for thousands of years. And with so many chapters of candy history left to explore, namely ruby chocolate’s eventual entrance, it’s clear the treat won’t go out of style any time soon.

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! After 80 years, a new variety of chocolate has finally graced the world: ruby chocolate. This naturally pink chocolate, created by Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut, is not milky like milk chocolate, sweet like white chocolate, or bitter like dark chocolate. Instead, Callebaut describes the flavor of his confection as a “tension between berry fruitiness and luscious smoothness.” Unfortunately, while ruby chocolate sounds like a wonderful treat, it is not yet available to consumers. So, as you wait for ruby chocolate to be stocked in your local grocery store or candy boutique, satisfy your chocolate cravings with some sweet facts about your favorite treat. IMPOSTERS! The names of certain chocolates can be very misleading. German chocolate cake, for example, is not named after the country of Germany. It’s actually an American dessert that was first baked in 1852, named for its creator, Sam German, and originally called “German’s chocolate cake.” White chocolate also suffers from a mistaken identity. Made primarily from cocoa butter, white chocolate does not contain any cocoa solids, which means it’s not technically chocolate.

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