Child Care During Holiday Breaks – Who Pays?
If you budget around your child-support payments, chances are, you can’t afford to pay for additional expenses. There will be extra mouths to feed, and you could be seeing increased electricity usage because your children are playing video games round the clock. So, who pays for those extra expenses after you split from your spouse?
In most cases, a spouse may ask the other to contribute more than the designated child support to cover those costs. While a parent may choose to cover those expenses, they are not required, since the court-ordered child support payment plan covers extracurricular activities besides basic childcare needs.
However, the court may order one spouse to pay more for these if they earn more than their ex. If the support amount does not cover these activities, the custodial parent may have to pay for them out-of-pocket.
Illinois has an income share model, which supports child support and also comes into play here. As per this law, support obligations are determined by comparing each spouse’s income and the amount of time their children spend with them independently.
In other words, both parents have a duty of care towards their children. This perspective is vastly different from the ones in the past when fathers earned a lot more than mothers. Today, the gender pay gap is closing slowly and the courts have taken notice.
How the Law Office of Fedor Kozlov Can Help
Navigating your way through a divorce can be physically and emotionally draining, not just for you, but also for your children. A professional and experienced family attorney who can understand the unique challenges of your case can ensure conflicts are resolved amicably and peacefully unless aggressive representation is necessary. Located in Schaumburg, IL, the Law Office of Fedor Kozlov can help you set a solid foundation for this new chapter in your life. Call 847-241-1299 to get in touch with them today.