My spouse says that that I will lose custody of our children if I don't agree to certain financial demands—is this possible?

Spousal support (maintenance), child support, and the division and allocation of property and debts are entirely unrelated to parenting matters. In addition, recent changes to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act as well as the Illinois Parentage Act have eliminated the concept of "sole custody." The emphasis is on joint decision making, and allocating significant parenting time and responsibilities to both parents.