Joliet Child Support Lawyers

Will County Child Support Attorneys Dedicated to Your Child's Best Interests

While most aspects of your divorce settlement are negotiable between you and your spouse, the amount and duration of child support are not. Child support is court-ordered based on statutory guidelines.

At the law offices of Reeder & Brown, P.C., we understand that it can be frustrating to have so little control over the amount of child support that you will pay or receive. However, when you are represented by a member of our team, there are a variety of arguments we may be able to make to the court to influence some aspects of a child support order, such as the amount you and the other parent will contribute toward extraordinary expenses. We will make every effort to seek solutions that meet your needs and the needs of your children.

The attorneys of Reeder & Brown, P.C. have over 30 years of combined experience in family law. We are well prepared to assist you with all issues related to child support, including establishment of paternity, post-divorce modifications, and enforcement.

Illinois Child Support Laws

The attorneys of Reeder & Brown, P.C. will be on constant guard for your rights and interests in all child support proceedings.

Amount of child support to be paid: The court will determine the amount of child support that one parent must pay the other based on guidelines defined in Illinois law (750 ILCS 5/505) and further detailed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. In most cases, a child support obligation will be automatically withheld from a parent's paycheck, but other options for payment are available. Further, unless you meet the criteria for shared parenting time, wherein each parent has primary care of the children for at least 40 percent of the year (146 overnights), the amount of child support is not adjusted based on the amount of time children spend with each parent.

Modification of support: You may ask the court to modify your child support order if you, your co-parent, or your child has experienced a substantial change in circumstances, such as a significant change in income or major medical expenses.

Termination of child support: A court order for child support should specify a termination date. Parents will typically owe support until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. Child support may be terminated prior to age 18 if a child voluntarily becomes emancipated by joining the military, getting married, or otherwise moving out and becoming self-supporting.

Child support after age 18: The court also has the authority to order either or both parents to pay for specific post-secondary education expenses (including college tuition, room, and board) and for the support of a child who becomes physically or mentally disabled and needs ongoing assistance after reaching the age of 18.

How Illinois Calculates Child Support

Basic support obligation. Illinois adopted the "income shares" method of calculating child support in 2017. This method uses a formula that takes the combined net income of both parents to determine the dollar amount that a typical family with that income and that number of children would spend to meet the basic needs of the children. This dollar amount is called the basic support obligation. Basic needs include food, clothing, housing, transportation, personal care items, and entertainment for the children.

Income shares calculation. The basic support obligation is prorated between the parents based on their respective net incomes. For example, parents with a combined net income of $10,000 per month and two children will have a basic support obligation of $2,173. If the mother contributes 25% of the income and has the majority of parenting time, she is assumed to spend $543 (25% of $2,173) of her own income on the children. The father who contributes 75 percent of the income will pay the mother $1,630 (75% of $2,173) in child support each month.

Extraordinary expenses. The basic support obligation does not cover extraordinary child-related expenses, such as health insurance premiums, daycare or after-school care, private school tuition, extraordinary medical costs, and extracurricular activity expenses. These expenses are typically allocated to each parent based on their share of combined net income, although the court has more discretion when determining the maximum amount that each parent may be required to pay. If you and your co-parent strongly disagree on the need for your children to have certain extras, the attorneys of Reeder & Brown, P.C. will help you negotiate compromises.

Contact Our Joliet Child Support Lawyers

The attorneys of Reeder & Brown, P.C. provide legal services to clients throughout Joliet and Will County, as well as other cities and towns in the surrounding area, including Plainfield, Crest Hill, Lockport, Shorewood, and Bolingbrook. Contact us today at 815-885-5980 to arrange a free consultation.