Child Support

Attorneys with Extensive Child Support Knowledge

The non custodial parent is ordered to pay child support in almost every Illinois divorce involving a minor child. However, it is usually not the only child related expense the custodial parent is entitled to receive. For this reason, your attorney must have the knowledge, ability and desire to do more than simply scratch the surface of your unique circumstances.

Whether you will be the recipient of child support or will be paying child support, retaining a law firm to determine how the Illinois statutory and case law can influence the amount of support and related expenses is very important to the success of your case. The attorneys at Bennett Law Firm know the right questions to ask, the relevant documents to present and the precise methodology to determine how much you should be paying or receiving in child support and related expenses.

Illinois and Guideline Based Child Support

Illinois has established a statutory formula to follow in order to determine child support in most divorce and parentage cases. Child support will typically remain in effect until a child reaches 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs last.

Typically, the payer of child support is a W-2 employee with an established, consistent income in which guideline based support will apply. However, many parents receive overtime or commission, creating a widely fluctuating payment schedule. In addition, the statutory guidelines are affected by numerous deductions and other factors such as:

A self employed non custodial parent.
Substantial non employment derived income
Unreimbursed business expenses.
Taxes and medical insurance.
Special needs or disabled children.

Payors of child support need to ensure that their child support computation is accurate. If they are required to pay too much because of an attorney who erroneously forgot to include a necessary deduction, the ability to support one’s child may be affected by the livelihood of the payor’s capacity to pay.

On the other hand, is the payor including deductions that he or she is not entitled to, thereby creating a burden on the custodial parent? Regardless of whether you are paying or receiving child support, the attorneys at the Bennett Law Firm, LLC understand each nuance. We can identify errors, correct miscalculations and structure complex matters to work for both parents.

Has the previously entered child support order become outdated due to a substantial change in circumstances? Has the payor’s income changed, or has the cost to support the child increased for the custodial parent? Contesting unfair or outdated child support orders after your divorce is critical, because specific procedures must be followed in order to modify support and minimize costly arrearages. This can often be done amicably by an agreement with the parties. If, however, court intervention is required, you can be confident that we will identify and raise all relevant factors that benefit your side.

Skilled Legal Representation Ensures Fair Support

The Bennett Law Firm, LLC begins every case with a confidential and informative consultation in which we discuss your unique case, develop legal strategies and assess how to best assert your interests. If you provide us with financial information, then we can provide you with a rough calculation of the child support and other child care expenses likely to be raised in your matter.

If you need tough divorce representation especially skilled in the area of child support, call (630) 573-8800 or e-mail us to schedule a consultation and benefit from our more than 20 years of family law experience in Chicagoland.