River Forest Child Support

When parents are no longer married or living together, the non-custodial parent will be responsible for making child support payments. Call our law firm today to learn more about how support payments are calculated and how to get a support order in River Forest.

While most parents love their child and provide emotional support, guidance, and care whenever possible, the law requires both parents to financially provide for a child. When parents live together and raise the child collectively, the court assumes this is the case. Similarly, when parents are divorced or separated, the court assumes the custodial parent is fulfilling this duty – to financially provide for the child, by virtue of having custody and paying for day-to-day needs.

As such, the court will order the non-custodial parent to make child support payments. If you have questions about how child support is calculated, who must pay child support, or how to modify a support order, our River Forest child support lawyers at the law offices of Gordon & Perlut, LLC can help. Call us today to learn more.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Illinois

Child support is calculated in Illinois using the income-shares model. Using the income-shares model, the amount of child support both parents are responsible for is calculated using the incomes of both parents. For example, in reviewing the Income Shares Schedule Based on Net Income, one can see parents who make a collective $10,000 per month in net income should allocate (jointly) $1,449 of that income to the support of their child. Again, the court will assume the custodial parent is already doing this; as such, the non-custodial parent will be responsible for support in an amount proportional to their income. For example, if the noncustodial parent makes $6,000 of the total $10,000 of combined net income (or 60 percent), they will be responsible for 60 percent of the child support amount, or about $869 (of $1,449).

Of course, this does not mean the court will not consider any special circumstances when issuing a child support order, such as any special needs of the child. Additionally, in cases where custody of a child is shared, then the amount of time spent with the child is also factored into the equation.

Modifying a Child Support Order

Once a child support order has been issued by a court, it can be difficult to change, which is one of the key reasons it is important to work with a River Forest child support lawyer early in your divorce process.

A child support order can be modified when there is a substantial change in circumstances, such as the loss of a job, a large change in income, or a change in custody. If you need to modify your child support order, reach out to our River Forest child support lawyers for counsel.

Call Our River Forest Child Support Lawyers Today

If you have questions about child support, reach out to our River Forest child support lawyers today. We have years of experience and can confidently represent you. Call us now or send us a message online to get started.