Category Archives: Child Support
Modifying Child Support Orders In Illinois
Child support orders are not permanent. Financial situations and a child’s needs can change over time, and Illinois law allows support arrangements to be updated to reflect current circumstances. Whether you pay or receive child support, it is important to understand when and how modifications may occur. A support order remains legally enforceable until… Read More »
What Happens If Child Support Is Not Paid In Illinois?
In Illinois, child support orders are official court decisions, not just informal agreements between parents. If payments stop, both the parent owed support and the parent who misses payments can face serious consequences quickly. Issues like financial stress, job loss, or disagreements about parenting time often lead to child support problems. However, courts expect… Read More »
How Child Support Is Calculated in Illinois (Income Shares Model)
If you are going through a divorce or parentage case in Illinois, you may have concerns about child support. Many parents worry about affording monthly payments, whether the calculation is fair, and how parenting time affects what they owe. Illinois uses the Income Shares Model to figure out child support. This method estimates what… Read More »
Enforcing Child Support Orders In Illinois
Child support orders are court requirements meant to protect a child’s well-being and financial security. If payments stop or fall behind, both the child and the parent who depends on that support can be affected right away. Illinois law offers several ways to enforce these orders, but it’s important to understand how the process… Read More »
Understanding Retroactive Child Support In Illinois
Retroactive child support often arises in Illinois family law when parents have lived apart before a formal court order. I represent clients seeking unpaid support and those defending against retroactive claims. Illinois law permits courts to award support for past periods in specific circumstances, with outcomes depending on the facts, timing, and conduct of… Read More »
Imputed Income In Illinois Child Support Cases
Illinois child support aims to match each parent’s ability to help meet their child’s needs. Sometimes, a parent’s reported income doesn’t reflect their true earning potential. This can happen if someone is unemployed, underemployed, or not working up to their capacity for questionable reasons. In these situations, courts may assign or “impute” income to… Read More »
Who Is Responsible For College Expenses After Divorce in Illinois?
Illinois is one of the few states with a law that compels divorced parents to support their children’s education past high school and after they turn 18 years old. A child doesn’t have to be a minor to receive this support. This may be a blessing for single parents living under the poverty line,… Read More »
Can Another State Suspend Your Driver’s License For Non-Payment Of Child Support?
If you fail to pay child support in one state but move to another state, the latter can suspend your driver’s license in some circumstances. If that happens, defaulters can take some steps and legal options to get their license back, but it will have to be accompanied by pending support payments. Contact a… Read More »
When Determining Child Support, Are Gifts and Loans Considered Income?
Illinois’s child supports laws are strict when it comes to determining net income because courts base it on ‘all income from all sources.’ However, if you are a non-custodial parent and want to give your child a present or take care of student loans for them, how does this affect child support? Are Gifts… Read More »
Reducing Your Child Support Payment is Possible for a Non-Custodial Parent
You are a non-custodial parent if you keep the child with you for less than 146 nights. This is the minimum number of nights that you must be in custody of your child to qualify you as a parent who is providing the requisite time to their children. If you are a non-custodial partner,… Read More »