As the year comes to a close and many people are busy and strained, a number of Illinois families are also dealing with the stress of a divorce. For some couples who have enjoyed an affluent lifestyle, the prospect of a divorce can be quite worrisome based on the amount of assets at stake.

When a couple has maintained a certain lifestyle for the duration of their marriage, spousal maintenance payments are likely going to be considered. These payments are intended to help a financially weaker partner maintain the lifestyle acquired during the marriage. For many couples, these alimony payments are a point of contention. Most people are primarily focused on protecting their individual financial security.

Recently, the ex-wife of a wealthy CEO was awarded nearly $141 million in her divorce. The husband agreed to make payments over five years, and the wife agreed to waive all interest in her husband's businesses.

A payment plan was set up and for a while, payments were made. However, he missed over a year of payments due to his allegedly declining income. In Illinois, any default in alimony payments can lead to enforcement proceedings in court.

As a result of the year of missing payments, the ex-wife was also awarded judgments of $21 million in addition to a 10 percent interest rate. He then formally requested a revised settlement based on his changing financial status. This request was denied.

The extremely high financial penalties and payments in this verdict illustrate what can be at stake in a divorce that involves individuals with a high net worth. In these cases, the retention of legal counsel is necessary to handle the numerous assets and financial interests that may be at risk.

Source: The Pioneer Press, "First, it was a $141M divorce. Then, it got pricey," John Welbes, Dec. 13, 2011