Illinois Child Support Lawyer Providing Compassionate Representation to Clients in Forest Park
Illinois courts recognize that both parents have an obligation to support their children. As such, when parents decide to get divorced and one of the parties files a petition for the dissolution of marriage, it is important to recognize that the court is also going to make decisions that affect the children from the marriage. In addition to allocating parental responsibilities, the court will determine the amount of support that should be paid for each child. While Illinois used to rely on a child support model known as the “percentage of obligor net income” model, that model was tied to older laws concerning child custody and visitation.
Now, Illinois courts use an “income shares” model for calculating child support that presumes both parents will contribute to the financial responsibility associated with raising a child. The dedicated team at Gordon & Perlut, LLC can speak with you today about your child support case. Do not hesitate to get in touch with a compassionate Forest Park child support lawyer at our firm.
Understanding the “Income Shares” Model of Child Support in Forest Park
What is the income shares model of child support? To understand, we will tell you a little bit more about the changes to the law that took effect in July 2017. Prior to that date, Illinois calculated the child support obligation based only on the noncustodial parent’s net income. In other words, the court assumed that the noncustodial parent would be paying child support to the custodial parent, and it looked to a table of guidelines for determining the appropriate amount based on the noncustodial parent’s income and the number of children.
Now, however, the court does something much different. The income shares model combines the net incomes of both parents, and then it uses that figure to determine the support obligation. The court still looks to a table of guidelines, but now it uses the combined net income and the number of children to determine a monetary amount of monthly support. Then, the court looks at a number of different factors in calculating each parent’s percentage of that support obligation. For example, if one parent has substantially more parenting time, his or her percentage of the support obligation may be reduced.
Dedicated Forest Park Child Support Lawyers Helping with Complex Cases
Child support is a complicated issue, and it can be a contentious one. In the best cases, both parents are eager to contribute to the support obligation for their children. In some circumstances, however, one parent may refuse to pay child support, and the other parent may need assistance with child support collections in Forest Park.
No matter what your child support case looks like, you should know that a dedicated Forest Park child support lawyer at our firm can advocate for you and your child.
Contact an Experienced Forest Park Child Support Attorney Today
Do you have questions about child support in Illinois? A Forest Park child support attorney can speak with you today. Contact Gordon & Perlut, LLC to schedule a free consultation.