Basics Of Child Support In Illinois

 Posted on September 05, 2012 in Divorce

Child support issues are often one of the aspects in divorce where parents disagree. To establish a child support order in Illinois, the amount of child support required by the child support order depends on the non-custodial parent's net income and the number of children they will be supporting.

Here is a chart that represents the minimum amount of child support that the parent may be ordered to pay according to the Illinois Statutory Guidelines (750 ILCS 5/505 Sec. 505).

The guidelines in the chart are automatically applied in every case unless the court decides that the amount determined by these guidelines would be inadequate after considering the best interests of the child. Reasons for such a decision may include factors like the financial resources and needs of the children, the financial resources and needs of the custodial parents, and the standard of living the children would have enjoyed if the marriage had not ended. Children's educational needs and the financial resources of the non-custodial parent are also among the factors that are considered. When calculating the net income, taxes and union dues, among some other factors, are deducted.

Usually, the child will receive child support until they reach the age of majority. If the child is attending high school on their 18^th birthday, they will reach majority on their 19^th birthday. After the child reaches majority, the court can still order child support, for example, if the child is disabled.

These guidelines might make child support seem very simple, but unfortunately it is far from the only issue you will have to solve when you are going through a divorce. It is in your best interest to seek the counsel of an experienced divorce attorney if you are planning to file for divorce or are already going through one. Make sure you have knowledgeable legal professionals on your side, and contact our DuPage County, Illinois, divorce lawyers today.